Devil's Bargain
by chattypandagurl
Summary: After seeing the tragedy of the future, Pyro has rejoined the XMen as an attempt to stop the evil he does in the future. But as a new threat arises, and an old friend resurfaces, can they stop John from falling into darkness and stop the threat?
1. XMas

This is the sequel to "Nothing is Set in Stone". But for those who haven't read the first one and don't want to, it's okay. This chapter is more of an introductory chapter and explains the basics from the first story, so you don't have to read the first one to understand the sequel. But if you ever have time to read the first one, I recommend you do, so you get a better understanding of where they're coming from, and the overall plot.  
  
Anyway, sorry if there's not much action to this chapter, since this is an intro. I do not own any X-Men characters except for Blaze and a couple of others that will appear later on. Enjoy and review please! ^_^  
  
* * *  
  
Bobby, Rogue, John, and Blaze all squeezed into the sofa in front of the T.V., switching channels. Bobby had his arm wrapped around Rogue's arm, careful not to touch any of her bare skin.  
  
John had the remote and was switching channels. Blaze was watching the T.V. with a bored expression on her face, brushing her brown hair out of her brown eyes.  
  
Blaze glanced over at Jubilee and Shadowcat, who were adding finishing touches to the Christmas tree. Logan was leaning against the wall, keeping a sharp eye on the students. Scott was staring out the window, gazing into the distance, a solemn expression on his face.  
  
Logan's gaze traveled over to John a lot, something the firestarter found creepy. Blaze had made him promise in the future that he'd go back to the X- Men in order to change the future from the future that he, Bobby, and Rogue had witnessed when they were mysteriously blasted there.  
  
In that future, John had made a "devil's bargain" where he had gained the power to create fire and became all-powerful. Unfortunally, he was evil and corrupted by power and greed. Bobby had died by Pyro's own hand and while future-Rogue remained a member of the X-Men, but she was depressed about Bobby's death and still mourned for him.  
  
But, because John had betrayed them before, it felt like all the teachers had been constantly watching him and monitoring him. They obviously didn't trust him, all except Xavier, of course, who knew about their adventure and the fact that Blaze is from that future. And John, naturally hating authority, was very unnerved by the constant monitoring.  
  
"Poor Scott," Rogue remarked. "You know, I really wish we could tell him that Jean's coming back . . . how does she come back, anyway, Blaze?"  
  
Blaze shrugged. "I don't know. In the future, my own time, we have this rule. A lot of the mutants we took in were persecuted or had bad pasts. Some were almost hanged, but they escaped. If they didn't want to talk about it, no one pressured them to tell. All I know about Jean is that it has something to do with the Phoenix and her new powers."  
  
John looked over at Blaze, eyeing the thin white scar on her right cheek. The scar he had given her during a major fight they had in the future when her own father, the fire mutant president, injected a steroid into her to make her own fire powers increase to its limits. The steroid controlled her and she only acted on rage. His plan was to use his own daughter to burn half of New York so that the American citizens would be convinced again that mutants were evil. After her use was over, the steroid would burn her out and kill her. John fought with her and was able to snap her out of the trance and save her in time before the steroid killed her. The catch was that the steroid still remained in her bloodstream, and she couldn't get angry, otherwise the effects of the steroid would flare up again.  
  
They heard a strange sound and looked over to see Jubilee trying to spark the log to life with her multicolored "fireworks". It wasn't working though.  
  
"John? A little help here?" Jubilee asked, glancing over to John, her huge hoop earrings clinking.  
  
John started to reach into his pocket for his lighter, but then he reconsidered. He smirked playfully at the Asian girl and said, "Sorry, Jubes, I'm too lazy to get it."  
  
Jubilee's almond shaped eyes glared at him.  
  
Blaze then got John's attention, smirked, and then threw a thin fire streamer from her finger to light up the log. Jubilee had to dodge out of the way. Suddenly, the log lit up on fire, the flames dancing around the log. Jubilee hastily closed the chain curtain in front of the fire to keep the flames from spreading onto the Christmas tree.  
  
"It's kind of weird seeing all these people I think of as grown ups as . . . teenagers. Jubilee's probably the only one I've seen so far that isn't too different that her adult self." Blaze commented.  
  
"What's that?" Jubilee asked, curious.  
  
"Nothing." John said quickly, putting a hand over Blaze's mouth. "She says random things all the time, you know, kind of messed in the head." He made a spiraling motion with his finger next to his head.  
  
"Shut up!" Blaze glared at John grumpily and moved his hand aside.  
  
"So," Rogue said after Jubilee went to aid Kitty in putting up decorations, "Did you guys have Christmas in the future?"  
  
"Yeah," Blaze replied, "we had a tree and a present for everybody, but sometimes the older kids went without any so we could give it to the little kids. Wolverine was Santa Claus."  
  
Bobby, Rogue, and John all burst out laughing. They all were sharing the same image of Wolverine trading in his barely shaved beard and thick sideburns for a fake white beard, a tall red pointy hat, and shoving a pillow underneath a red Santa suit.  
  
Blaze felt a grin tugging at her lips. It was always a funny sight and was one of the few times everyone at the X-Men's underground base was happy and without worry about the dangerous world above. The world where if you were a mutant and caught, you'd get hanged.  
  
There was a cell phone ring, which Wolverine fumbled with before figuring out which button to open.  
  
"Damn phones." Logan growled. These were new types, and for some reason the buttons were completely different than the one he had learned to use when at Bobby Drake's house.  
  
"Hello?" He said into the phone, "Uh-huh. I'll get 'em." Logan yelled, "One- Eye! Bobby and Rogue! Get over here!"  
  
"Very subtle, Logan," Storm's voice said dryly over the phone, "and why must you keep on insisting to call Scott 'One-Eye'?"  
  
"Because it's fun," Logan replied simply before flipping the phone's flap shut.  
  
"Duty calls." Bobby joked.  
  
"I wish you wouldn't do that every time the Prof calls." John groaned. "Besides, you're going to leave me stuck with the ever-watchful Wolverine without X-Men back up?"  
  
"Logan's going too," Rogue pointed out. "And Blaze is technically an X-Man . . ."  
  
"In the future," John reminded Rouge.  
  
Rogue closed her eyes for a moment, concentrating. Suddenly, she started floating out from her seat and flew over the couch and set foot safely onto the ground. She sighed in relief. She actually didn't end up falling on her butt this time.  
  
John rolled his eyes. "Show off," He muttered.  
  
In the future, Rogue had a run in with a mutant named Miss Marvel. She had the power to fly and super-strength. While they were trying to get out of the facility where both Blaze had John were being tortured in, Rogue stayed to deal with Miss Marvel. When it came down to it, Rogue used her power- sucking ability as a last resort to stop Miss Marvel. But, Miss Marvel tried to shake Rogue off by using her flying ability. Rogue wouldn't let go, and finally Miss Marvel's conciousness . . . and her powers . . . were imbedded inside Rogue. Jean in the future had created a block in Rogue's mind to block out Miss Marvel from driving Rogue insane . . . but they still didn't know how long it would stay stable.  
  
John watched Rogue and Bobby leave the room, closely followed by Logan and Scott.  
  
* * *  
  
Logan, Scott, Bobby, and Rogue entered Xavier's office and sat down.  
  
The bald man folded his hands across his desk and looked up from the various papers on his desk. They were soon joined by Storm, her white hair flowing around her dark skin.  
  
"I have gathered you here for a couple of reasons. First of all, I have been thinking that we have reached a shortage of field worthy X-Men for missions. And I believe we're going to need all the help we can get now. I feel that a threat is coming. So, do either of you have any suggestions on who you think can manage schoolwork and being a part-time X-Man?"  
  
"What about Blaze? Or John?" Bobby suggested.  
  
"She's pretty new, Bobby. She doesn't have any experience." Logan said gruffly.  
  
Rogue and Bobby glanced at each other with slight grins. Blaze has plenty of experience.  
  
"As for Pyro . . . I don't trust him." Scott said, his voice uncharacteristically cold. Xavier gave him a slightly worried look, but didn't say anything about it.  
  
"I think she would be a perfect addition to the team," The Professor said, glancing at the youngest X-Men for a moment. "As for John . . . yes, he did leave, but he came back, and that's something."  
  
Scott muttered something quietly so no one could hear, but Logan, with his exceptional hearing, heard it. "It could be one of Magneto's tricks. He probably would be happy to learn someone else died . . ."  
  
The side of Logan's mouth moved downwards sadly for a moment as he thought about Jean . . . her beautiful red hair, the softness of her lips when he kissed her . . . but in the end, she'd chosen the good guy. Scott. Not that it mattered now anyways. She's dead.  
  
"Jubilee's been doing great," Storm added, tossing her white hair out of her face.  
  
Rogue suddenly remembered what the Professor had slipped in when he had first gathered them there. "Professor . . . what's this threat you mentioned before?" Her southern accent shone through with her worried tone.  
  
The Professor sighed. "Yes, Rogue, actually, I'm not quite sure what the threat really is, since Cerebro is no longer in our possession. But I have been plagued by dreams lately . . . and I saw mutants . . . getting their powers taken away from them in a terrible way. But in the process of stripping them of their power, they're killed as well. Our mutant powers come from a mutated gene in our blood. Their blood was taken viciously, and they all bled to death. I have confirmed my suspicions just now when I received a call from a friend saying that a mutant they knew had been killed in that fashion. And I had dreamt of that person dying as well." His forehead wrinkled and Rogue noticed that Professor Xavier seemed tired and distracted.  
  
Rogue shivered. Someone was sucking out mutant's powers . . . just like her power. She felt as if someone had dumped a bucket of ice down her back. Could it be her doing it? That would be an option she would never have considered if she'd never went to the future . . . but after seeing things she'd never thought she would have seen there, anything's possible.  
  
The only thing wrong with that theory is that someone's taking their powers by taking their blood . . . Rogue . . . she didn't even know how to describe how her power works, but it's not like that . . .  
  
Rogue noticed Bobby looking at her. When she glanced at him, Bobby quickly averted his cool blue eyes away.  
  
* * *  
  
Blaze and John were still sitting on the couch. Except now they were fighting over John's lighter. Or really, John was trying to get his lighter from his fellow firestarter, who stole it.  
  
"Give it back," John warned, his voice low and dangerous.  
  
"No, I don't think so," Blaze teased, flicking the lighter with a sly grin.  
  
John winked at her, and suddenly a burst of fire shot up from the lighter. It surprised her, and she dropped the lighter, which John caught swiftly. He smirked. "I win."  
  
~Elizabeth, please report to my office~ A voice inside Blaze's head boomed, ~Bring John with you~ It added after an afterthought. Blaze jerked involuntarily. First of all, she wasn't used to people just entering her mind like that. Jean did it occasionally, but she tried not to since it bugged some people. Another was hearing someone call her by her real name, Elizabeth Johnson.  
  
"What's up?" John asked.  
  
"I think Xavier wants us in his office . . ." Blaze replied, trying to get that weird echo out of her head.  
  
John groaned. "That's never a good sign."  
  
* * *  
  
"Come in," Professor Xavier said suddenly, and he waved his hand to one side and opened the door. Blaze stood there with her hand up in a fist, looking as if she was prepared to knock on the door.  
  
She looked slightly surprised. "Or . . . not."  
  
"Sit," The Professor offered, "Storm, Scott, Logan, could you excuse us? Bobby and Rogue, stay."  
  
Scott and Storm gave each other confused looks and stared back at the Professor, but followed his orders and left. Logan just sighed loudly and left, thinking about going out and buying some beer, since the school didn't have any. It was pure torture . . . he could smell the beer coming from somewhere, but couldn't get any . . .  
  
John and Blaze sat down. Blaze really had no idea what to think. In her future, Xavier sacrificed himself protecting his students and X-Men. He was a powerful and well respected figure in mutant history. Well, at least to the mutants he was. He had seemed like a good guy, but she hadn't been at Xavier's Institute for Gifted Children for long, so she really hadn't formed a lasting opinion. Her first impression of him was good, though.  
  
"You're probably wondering why I called you two here," Xavier began, "I called you two because you four were the ones who traveled to the future . . . and frankly, I could use some insight."  
  
Bobby and Rogue looked at each other nervously. The Professor asking THEM for help?  
  
"We'll try," Rogue answered for all of them.  
  
"It's about that threat that I told you about. Blaze, I want you to think hard. Do you know anything about a person taking away mutant's power by taking their blood too?"  
  
Blaze shivered. That was sickening. "No. I know the governments were working on a way to control mutants and . . . um . . . making them more powerful . . ." She glanced at John sheepishly, "but nothing about taking away powers. It might have happened before, but I don't know anything about it. Sorry."  
  
Professor Xavier closed his eyes for a moment, and then opened them, his crystal blue eyes shining with wisdom. "It's alright. But . . . I fear this threat may escalate and inspire anti-mutant protesters to go that one step further . . . and try to take our powers or start killing mutants."  
  
"Like in the future . . ." Blaze muttered bitterly.  
  
* * *  
  
A teenage girl sat in her sofa, listening to her favorite CD-Linkin Park. Her eyes were closed behind the dark sunglasses she always wore. Her favorite song had come on. "Somewhere I Belong". She loved that song because it expressed her feelings exactly. She lifted her head up and felt the warm sunlight on her face. If only she could see it.  
  
Suddenly, as the title line began playing, she gasped and felt like she was being pulled one hundred miles per hour into a different world. Jumbles of fragmented information flooded to her brain, and she clasped a hand to her head, trying to get all the voices, all the images out.  
  
Suddenly, the images came to a screaming halt.  
  
The girl gasped and panted. She reached for her sunglasses, but gave up when she couldn't feel them. Her eyes remained closed and the information slowly pieced together in her mind. Now she understood the vision she had received. It was connected to that dream she had last night.  
  
Destiny opened her eyes to reveal milky white eyes. She was blind. She sighed and removed her headphones, fearing the worst.  
  
He's here. 


	2. Danger Room

Thanks for all the reviews! Heh . . . sorry that the last chapter was kind of boring. This chapter will have action near the end! I've noticed my chapters are getting increasingly longer . . . this chapter's really long . . .heh. Enjoy!  
  
Icegirl-Kat: Since Destiny is not in the movies yet, the only way you would know her was as an adult in X-Men Evolution or in the comics. But the confusing part about her will be cleared up soon, and her role will be explained.  
  
Telepathic thoughts will be displayed 'like this' because ff.net won't let me use the squiggly lines I used before!

...  
  
The next day the four of them daydreamed through class, their feet feeling like led. None of them had slept much last night, between late night homework and thinking about the future, it was hard to fall asleep.  
  
After class had been over, they had once again took up "their" spot on the couch. When John turned the T.V. on, it was already at a news channel. He was about to switch it when Bobby stopped him.  
  
On the screen showed a reporter talking into her microphone. But then the camera zoomed in on the scene, a whole mass of people carrying signs and chanting out loud. Bobby moved closer to the T.V.  
  
"-we've heard of anti-mutant protesting," The reporter was saying in the background, "but this is the first major _PRO_-mutant protesting. These are mostly family and friends of mutants who demand that the prejudice be stopped."  
  
The reporter moved over to a woman holding up a sign that said, "Mutant Freedom Now!"  
  
"Excuse me, ma'am? Would you mind telling us why you are rallying today?" The reporter asked politely.  
  
The woman's cheeks were red from the brisk cold she was protesting in, but she looked slightly flustered at the thought of being on T.V.  
  
"Well . . . I used to be very anti-mutant. I believed everything the government was saying about how they needed to be eliminated, or controlled. But then one day my son . . ." Her voice was cracked with emotion, "my son showed his powers one day, and I knew that mutants couldn't be evil . . . so now I'm trying to stop the evil being done to my son and other children."  
  
Suddenly, her face glared at the T.V. screen, her eyes accusing, "Don't think we don't know about those 'top secret' government experiments. Several children went missing with no explanation . . . one came back dramatically changed. I demand-"  
  
"Thank you for your time ma'am," The reporter interrupted quickly, cutting the woman's accusation short.  
  
"Couldn't they edit her out if the government didn't want people hearing this?" Rogue asked. Her voice had slight hints of disgust in it.  
  
Blaze answered, "Not if it's live."  
  
Suddenly, Bobby let out a surprised gasp. "Is anybody taping this?"  
  
"What is it, Bobby?" His girlfriend asked, concern in her voice.  
  
"I-I think I saw my dad in the crowd."

...  
  
It turns out Scott was taping the rally, and they were able to watch it again. At Bobby's word, they paused the screen.  
  
Bobby's blue eyes searched the screen hungrily until his finger pointed to a figure. "There."  
  
Rogue squinted at the screen. "That does sort of look like him . . ."  
  
"It is him." Bobby said firmly.  
  
"He could be there to stop the riot," John pointed out.  
  
Blaze glared at her fellow firestarter. "You're so pessimistic."  
  
"I'm just saying . . . you don't want to expect anything!" John stammered out, trying to regain his macho pride.  
  
The ice wielder shook his head. "No. It's definitely him."  
  
"But he was angry at you . . ." Rogue commented.  
  
But suddenly Bobby turned to Blaze, scaring her by grabbing her shoulders roughly. "Why didn't you tell me my dad starts to like mutants? Do we talk in the future?"  
  
Blaze looked uncomfortable, and cast a "help me" look at John. John merely shrugged. Even he knew better than to mess with Bobby when he's riled up about something. "Well . . . you start talking to them soon after, I guess. They support you. Your dad is one of our allies, but nowadays-I mean, in the future-he couldn't really do anything because the government threatened the life of his family if he kept on doing riots like that."  
  
He sat down, and cursed. "My dad had left a message on my cell phone," Bobby explained, "and I thought . . . I-"  
  
"You were afraid it was bad news," Blaze filled in.  
  
"Yeah. So I never opened it. This was about a month ago. So when I thought I recognized him . . . I had to know."  
  
John was about to make a comment when a loud, thundering voice entered their minds.  
  
'REPORT TO THE DANGER ROOM'

...  
  
A crowd of kids were awaiting them outside the door appropriately marked "DANGER". Scott appeared from behind them, followed by Logan bringing up the rear, his face marked with an amused look.  
  
"This is the Danger Room. We use this room to train with technology," Scott began, "We will be setting the Danger Room at its easiest setting, and we will be controlling your 'opponents' from inside a control room. The Professor would have liked to be here to watch you, but a matter of urgency called him out a couple of minutes ago.  
  
"This is normally a practice room, but right now we will be testing and evaluating your skills and to see what you need to work on. Now . . . let's see what you got."  
  
On cue, the metal doors slid open, making a hissing sound in their wake.  
  
"Could Cyclops be any more dramatic?" John murmured.  
  
When they entered the room, all of them gaped at the vastness of the place. Its huge metal ceilings stretched up for what seemed like miles. The walls were made of cold iron. On the top of the room was a large, round room with what looked like a walkway coming in from each side. It was the control room, where Scott and Logan would be overseeing them.  
  
The Danger Room was completely empty, save for the crowd of confused X- Kids. All there was in the room was bare iron surrounding the ground, walls, and ceiling.  
  
"Where's the 'opponent?'" Rogue wondered aloud.  
  
A loud creaking noise answered her question. Rogue jumped and grasped Bobby's hand hard. Several students flinched as they saw the walls open and several machines appear. Guns and metal pillars surfaced, but there were probably more hidden inside the walls.  
  
"Don't worry," Scott's voice boomed from over the loudspeakers, "The guns are stunners."  
  
"'Don't worry' he says," Rogue commented dryly.  
  
"Danger Room Setting One . . . begin!"  
  
Suddenly, there was movement behind Kitty Pryde. Jubilation Lee shouted out a warning to her, and Shadowcat, true to her name, phased right through the large metal block that would have hit her from behind.  
  
"That was, like, really close!" Kitty shrieked.  
  
Suddenly, the stunners swerved towards Illyana Rasputin, Colossus's little sister. She disappeared as the stunners seemed to hit her.  
  
"Illyana!" Piotr Rasputin cried out. But a few seconds later, the blonde Russian reappeared in front of her brother. Piotr scolded her for scaring him, and the powerful six-year-old apologized by warning her brother of another stunner.  
  
Colossus's body transformed into metal that matched the walls of the room they were in. He had been trying to learn to instantly convert his body, but the process was slow. If the stunners hadn't been on setting one, it would have fried him.  
  
But it effectively bounced off his armor and destroyed the stun gun it had come out of.  
  
Meanwhile, Bobby was freezing the walls when they tried to move out of the walls . . . slowly.  
  
Rogue was trying hard to fly, and managed to make it up to one stunner and demolished it with her super-strength before she glided back down.  
  
Jubilee was targeting the stunners, carefully back to back with Dani Moonstar. Jubilee brushed her ebony hair out of her face as sparks flew from her fingertips and contacted with the stunners, giggling as they exploded. Danielle, whose powers weren't really of any use against a bunch of machines, helped Jubilee sense the stunners.  
  
John was using his lighter to shoot fireballs at the stunners, and Blaze was doing the same, making sport of it by trying to hit two stunners at the same time.  
  
"This is boring." John commented.  
  
"I've done the Danger Room on Setting 6. This is child's play." Blaze replied dryly, tossing another fireball.  
  
But then, everything stopped.  
  
The X-Kids stopped their advances as the stunners and walls began to quietly sink back into their original places.  
  
A few seconds passed by before someone commented, "I guess training's over, huh?"  
  
Danielle walked over to the door and pressed the button on the panel that should have opened the door. She frowned, confused.  
  
"It's still locked." But suddenly, the room came to life again. A wall rushed forward right where Danielle was, speeding twenty times faster than Setting One. Danielle screamed as she was catapulted backwards. Rogue quickly flew up and caught Dani. But the force of the push caused Rogue to collide into the wall. Rogue and Dani slid down the wall, a large dent replaced where they were.  
  
"Thanks, Rogue."  
  
"No problem," Rogue groaned, rubbing her shoulder. Thank god for her super strength.  
  
The whole room was going crazy! Now they weren't just dealing with slow stunners and sliding walls. There were metal claws coming out of the wall, grabbing at people. Many of the kids migrated over to the door, panicking, and desperately trying to get out.  
  
John had to dodge to avoid getting chopped in half. He turned to Blaze. "What setting-" But when he saw how pale her face was, he stopped.  
  
Blaze threw a fireball at an extremely fast and accurate stunner before it would hit Jubilee. Then she turned to John, wary of the chaos. "I've done Setting 6. This is not Setting 6. More like Setting 10 . . . the highest level."  
  
"What kind of crap is Scott pulling on us? The highest level? We're going to get killed!" John rambled on, his heart skipping a few beats as his panic rose.  
  
His friend didn't have a chance to answer, since she had to dive to avoid getting stunned.  
  
Bobby was doing his best to freeze all the claws, but nothing seemed to work! They all broke through his ice barriers! Rogue wasn't doing much better. She seemed to be all over the place saving everyone else's butts, occasionally ripping apart the limb of a claw.  
  
Danielle was successfully dodging the claws, but then was knocked out by a huge metal pillar. Blood began to seep from a head wound.  
  
The phaser, Kitty, was busy protecting the X-Kids who didn't have offensive powers by phasing them through any trouble. Suddenly, she took a running sprint to the door, trying to phase through it so she could open it. She skillfully avoided or ran through any obstacle, but then a stunner got her just inches from the door.  
  
Colossus had double duty of making sure his younger sister was okay (but she could really just teleport to safety) and smashing apart the machines.  
  
Illyana tried to teleport herself to the Control Room to see what was going on. Unfortunally, while she was vulnerable and in mid-teleportation, another stunner got her, and she crumpled to the ground. Colossus was somewhere else trying to even the playing field.  
  
The door seemed to the be most guarded. Even mutants who could normally get through couldn't.  
  
John was busy shooting fireballs at the stunners and avoiding claws. He and Jubilee had silently teamed up to take out the stunners.  
  
Blaze directed her palms towards the ground and shot herself up using her fire like a jet pack. She was able to "fly" on top of a claw just when it was beginning to shoot out and lash at people. She surrounded her hand with fire and began to drill into the stem of the claw. The claw tried to lash at her, but it was unsuccessful in reaching her, since she was behind it. After a few good minutes, she succeeded in separating the claw from its stem, letting the claw fall to the ground below.  
  
The firestarter was about to jump down from the stem when a metal pillar wrapped itself around her and pushed her against the wall. She couldn't wriggle out of the machine's grasp. Blaze gasped, and her lungs felt like they were going to be crushed any second. Fear spiked her spine, and her vision slowly began to cloud.  
  
Rogue, seeing her friend in trouble, mustered her strength and was able to soar up into the air to save Blaze. But then, a claw slithered itself into her way, and it distracted her from her rescue mission.  
  
One moment, Blaze felt the last remaining breaths of air leaving her lungs. The next, her entire body was alit with flames, the fire dancing in her angry eyes. The fire increased to a level that almost matched the level that she had in the future with the steroid.  
  
Everyone suddenly looked up to the blinding light and unbearable heat. What they saw was a whole corner lit up with fire like an oversized candle.  
  
Rogue was blown backwards by the heat waves. But when she, Bobby, and John noticed the fire and realized what it was, their comment was the same:  
  
"Oh crap."  
  
After what seemed like forever being embraced by the flames, Blaze fell into a pool of metallic colored liquid . . . what remained of the pillar. Eventually, the fire subsided, and Blaze was on her knees, devastatingly exhausted.  
  
Rogue ran over to her, punching whatever got into her way.  
  
"You okay?" Her southern accent had concern in it.  
  
Blaze nodded, and Rogue helped her get up to her feet. The firestarter kept her eyes down so she wouldn't have to see the questioning glances she no doubt was getting from students in between dodging claws and blasting stunners.  
  
She wouldn't look at John. That . . . losing control again . . . it brought back painful memories of rage and hatred. Things she'd been trying to forget. Blaze had just had another life or death experience, which she'd already had once before. She had not wished to experience it again. But here she is. Even Blaze didn't realize what kind of trouble would come from the remainders of the steroid in her bloodstream. Even if it did save her this time.  
  
After that, the X-Kids had become increasingly irritated with their teachers upstairs. Danielle's head injury wasn't looking good. Jamie Madrox, well, five Jamie's, was taking care of her, but by the look on his face, things weren't going good. Kitty and Illyana were still knocked out, and several other injured students lay together in a circle-Blaze included.  
  
The remaining were standing in a circle around the wounded, and trying to hold their own. But they wouldn't hold out for long . . . everyone was tiring.  
  
So it came as an immense relief when everything stopped again. Some people moved towards the door, but Bobby barked at them to come back. "It could be another setting adjustment," He warned.  
  
But the door hissed as it slid open, and Scott and Logan emerged from the door. Scott looked apologetic and very guilty.  
  
John, not being able to control his anger, advanced forward and had half a mind to punch Scott. "What were you trying to do? _KILL US_?!"  
  
Scott ignored Pyro. "Where's the wounded?" But he seemed to figure it out. So, Colossus, Logan, and several others helped carry the wounded to the infirmary. Bobby, Rogue, John, and Blaze stayed behind. Blaze had refused help to the infirmary since she wasn't hurt, just tired.  
  
Bobby turned on Scott angrily. "You never answered the question." His usually soft eyes were suddenly icy.  
  
"Everything was fine until I went to the bathroom and left Logan in charge," Scott explained, scowling, "When I came back, the controls were at Setting 10, and when I asked Logan about it, he said that it had suddenly changed on its own. He had no idea how to fix it. The controls were jammed, and I couldn't change the setting or turn it off. It took us a while to figure it out. I'm very sorry . . ."  
  
"We could have lost someone!" John interjected, angry that Scott had brushed him aside before.  
  
Scott's entire body seemed to tense up. His hands were subtly balled into fists, and his pain was clear on his face.  
  
"What . . . What do you know about losing someone?" Scott asked, trying and failing to keep his voice even, "You left on the helicopter . . . you . . . you didn't see her . . ." Realizing what he was doing, Scott turned on his heel and left, leaving the teens in awkward silence.  
  
"I guess we should go to bed," Rogue mumbled.  
  
There were sounds of agreement from the other three. At first they were heading up together, but then Rogue apparently forgot something in the Danger Room, so Bobby joined her to get it.  
  
"Forgot something my foot," John muttered, "I can't believe they're going to do a couple thing now." When he got no answer from his companion, he turned his head to the side. Blaze wasn't there.  
  
Then he turned behind him, and he saw her leaning against a wall for support, her breathing rough and raspy, and sweat dripping down her face. She seemed like she was in a great deal of pain.  
  
John walked over to her, and helped her up. "You okay?" He asked awkwardly.  
  
When Blaze was up, she brushed his hand away. "I'm fine." She said sharply.  
  
Pyro was not convinced. He arched an eyebrow. "You sure?" Worry was evident in his eyes. The last time something like this happened was in the future . . .  
  
"I'm fine." Blaze insisted, now sounding irritated at her friend's concern.  
  
And then the firestarter made her way alone to her dorm room, leaving John standing alone in the dark hallway, Blaze's footsteps echoing distantly.  
  
After the footsteps subsided, John shivered, and he was left with a disturbing feeling of dread.


	3. Mistaken Identity

Thanks to everyone for the reviews!

TheDreamerLady: Don't worry, I fully intend on finishing this story. I have the ending brewing in my mind. It's just the middle part I have to worry about. I am juggling about 6 stories, so it may take me a month and even longer to update during the school year, especially since I'm going into high school next year. But hopefully since it's the summer, I will update more often. But there are still my other stories to update, so I hope you keep reading!

Pyrotic: Scott's fault...hmm...we shall see...(wink)

Reviews, please!

...

Blaze moaned and stretched out her arms.  
  
"Ah!" With that, she tumbled off her bed, grabbing the bed sheets as she fell. For a moment she lay there in a heap, wondering how she could still be so exhausted.  
  
Then Blaze glanced at the clock and gasped.  
  
The illuminated green numbers read 11:00.  
  
"CRAP!" Blaze scrambled up. Why didn't Jubilee wake her up? But the moment she tried to stand, she fell back down on her bed.  
  
Blaze tried hard to remember what class she had. English with Scott. Shit. Cyclops is going to be pissed off. He hates it when students are late.

...  
  
Bobby was playing with his food absently. Rogue mulled over her Science notes and John played with his lighter, occasionally glancing around at the rest of the student body eating their lunch. Jubilee and Colossus were joking and laughing about something Colossus was drawing.  
  
Iceman sighed. Sometimes he wondered what it would be like to be normal, the way he used to be. When all you had to worry about was homework, tests, and who you were going to take to the prom.  
  
Now, they have to worry about people who are constantly trying to kill them, the disastrous future, this new threat, and the faulty Danger Room _in addition_ to homework, tests, and who you were going to take to the prom.  
  
Bobby winced and was snapped out of his daydreaming by the screech of a chair next to him. The ice weilder looked up from his food to see Blaze sit down heavily in a chair.  
  
"Why didn't you wake me up, Jubilee?" Blaze complained.  
  
Jubilee looked up from watching Piotr draw, and grinned sheepishly. "I tried, but you ignored me. Why didn't you just stay in the dorm? Then you could have missed a whole day of school."  
  
Blaze stared at her blankly for a moment, and then slapped her forehead. "I'm stupid. I should have done that. I don't know why I bothered waking up, I'm still tired . . ."  
  
After memorizing one more fact, Rogue looked up. "How are you tired? You slept for a long time, right?"  
  
Blaze nodded, and then glanced over at Piotr's drawing. "Wow! That's really good!"  
  
Piotr appreciated the compliment, but remained modest. "Thank you, but it's not that good . . ."  
  
Jubilee interrupted him. "Stop being so modest, Tin-Man, you're really good, and you know it! So _admit it_!"  
  
"I admit it?" Piotr was slightly intimidated by Jubilee's boldness, and he smiled nervously. Jubilee accepted that.  
  
"Tonight's practice again, by the way," Rogue announced.  
  
They all turned to look at Rogue in surprise.  
  
"After what happened yesterday?" Jubilee and Blaze asked in unision.  
  
"Illyana is still unconscious," Piotr added.  
  
John commented, "So is half the class."  
  
"It's not going to be the Danger Room this time," Bobby confirmed, "We're going to have fighting lessons from Logan."  
  
Everyone groaned.

...  
  
When they arrived, Logan and several other students waiting for them. Judging by the looks on the other kid's faces, they were the last to arrive.  
  
Logan merely gave them a glare that would assure they weren't late next time. And then addressed the considerably smaller class.  
  
"Okay. The Prof and the 'faculty' have talked about this, and they've decided that, due to recent events, we need some X-Men on backup. You already know this from yesterday. You also know that we are going to start several of you early and learn to use your power in tight spots, as well as hand-to-hand combat." Logan droned on, as if his speech had been scripted.  
  
"But we're already X-Men," Bobby commented to Rogue.  
  
But Logan heard. "True Bobby, but personally, you two can't fight. That's what you're here to do."  
  
There were several sniggers in the audience, causing Bobby to flush red.  
  
"Now. I think we should start you on the basics . . . what you'll be learning is a mix of street fighting and martial arts." Logan's sharp eyes scanned the crowd. They rested on Blaze. "I need a sparring partner to show what it can do. You. New girl."  
  
Blaze looked around, wondering who he was talking to, but then she realized that everyone was staring at her.  
  
"Oh. Me." The firestarter wondered if he had picked on her because he thought she was weak. Or maybe he wanted to see what she could do, since he had witnessed yesterday. Actually, despite the amount of sleep she had, she was still exhausted from her trials in the Danger Room. She would have preferred if he hadn't picked her, but she won't back down from a challenge.  
  
John leaned over and whispered to Bobby, "whose butt going to get whopped?"  
  
"Blaze's." Bobby replied quietly, making sure his friend wouldn't hear.  
  
John shook his head. "I don't know. She nearly killed me when we were fighting."  
  
Rogue overheard the conversation and stared at John with her eyebrow raised. "How can you talk about her nearly killing you so . . . so _casually_?!"  
  
John merely shrugged, turning to watch the sparring.  
  
As Blaze walked towards Wolverine, the meek part of her couldn't help thinking how tall he was compared to her. But then, the firestarter reassured herself that she'd sparred with the Logan from the future, and knew all his tricks. True, he had tossed her around like a limp doll the first time, but in time she learned how to counter his predictable attacks.  
  
"No powers." Logan warned her sternly, obviously thinking that was what she intended to use.  
  
"No powers." Blaze agreed.  
  
With a grunt, the sparring started. He grabbed her, startling her. But then, her left hand, in a karate chop position, connected with his kneecap, catching him unexpectedly. While he was reeling from her surprise attack, Blaze used her right hand to punch his stomach with a surprising amount of force.  
  
Logan seemed surprised, and slightly amused.  
  
Looks like he'll have to work at this. Good. Logan's lips curled into a grin, seemingly pleased with some competition. He neatly and gracefully launched himself at her.  
  
Blaze was scared out of her mind when Logan had lunged at her. He was going to crush her! But her body wouldn't move. It was in shock. And Logan somehow stopped himself in mid-air and kicked her legs from under her.  
  
The firestarter crumpled to the ground, groaning in pain as her legs throbbed from the force of Logan's attack. As he prepared to bring his fist down on her, her body unfroze, and her adrenaline kicked in, helping her slide underneath his legs with ease. Logan's fist connected with the floor hard, causing several tiles to crack.  
  
Blaze's heart skipped a few beats. The Wolverine meant business. This was no longer a mere spar.  
  
John winced as Logan's fist crushed the ground. He was suddenly filled with a sense of worry for his friend. "Bobby . . . we have to stop this. I don't want a repeat of what happened in the future! He could have killed her with that blow!"  
  
Bobby was also staring at the pair, his blue eyes also filled with concern. "I know, but what can we do?"  
  
Back at the battle, Blaze was beginning to panic. She had been in a life-or-death fight like this once before, with John. She was under the control of a steroid her father had injected inside her, but she still remembered everything. Both she and John had almost died, and she had no intention of reliving that moment.  
  
Blaze noticed a sharp piece of broken tile near her. She tucked it inside her fist.  
  
"Logan! That's enough, let's stop-" But Logan seemed deaf to her plea.  
  
This left her with no choice. At the first opportunity she had, she buried the tile into Logan's leg, knowing it wouldn't really hurt him because of his healing power. But maybe it would give her time to get out of there!  
  
Logan roared with pain. He fell to the ground hard, but not before he swung a muscular arm and swung at Blaze. He got her unprotected in the face.  
  
Blaze, on her butt, quickly slid away from the crazy Wolverine. Logan's eyes glared at her. Murder was evident in them. He growled one more time, and then rushed out the door past several scared students.  
  
Rogue, Bobby, and John rushed over to help their friend up. Blaze stayed standing for a couple of seconds, but then her knees buckled and she fell down. Blood was pouring down from her nose. She wiped it and grimaced at the sticky blood on her fingers.  
  
"Damn it," She cursed, wincing painfully.  
  
"What's up with Logan?" Jubilee wondered, sounding worried. She had become quite close to Logan. (A/N: In the animated series, it was Jubilee who was like a daughter to Logan, not Rogue. I'm not sure about the comics, but I'm assuming it's the same as well.)  
  
Piotr shrugged. But he, too, sounded worried. "I do not know. Stress?" Colossus knew that he was definitely stressed with Illyana still stunned. Not to mention Kitty . . . Piotr blushed for a moment when he thought of the phaser.  
  
"Class over!" Rogue announced, waving them out.  
  
"How do you know?" An anonymous voice asked from within the crowd.  
  
Rogue scowled. "Because I'm an X-Man, that's why!" At her glare, the students nervously filed out. Some were grumbling since they couldn't learn any fighting moves. Most was excitedly discussing the out of control sparring.  
  
Blaze cursed again. "Why does everything happen to me?!" She demanded, irritated. First the steroid in the future and yesterday . . . now her teachers are trying to kill her! Now she secretly wondered if this was the world's way of telling her she shouldn't be here; that she should be in her own time, hunted.  
  
"We'd better get you cleaned up," Rogue sighed.  
  
But then Jubilee walked up to them. "I can do it." She offered.  
  
Rogue looked up at her with a relieved expression, but then reconsidered. "No, it's fine, I got it . . ."  
  
"Go to bed, Rogue. Besides, she's my roommate and I barely know her. This could be . . . bonding time?" Jubilee reasoned.  
  
"Okay . . ." Rogue agreed uncertainty.  
  
And they all went their separate ways: Bobby, Rogue, and John all headed in the same direction for their dorms, but then broke off. Jubilee and Blaze managed to limp the other way towards the nearest bathroom. Bobby could distantly hear Blaze complaining. He shook his head sadly as he made his way upstairs. There was never a dull moment at Mutant High.

...  
  
John continued straight on the ground floor. He had to walk a little ways before getting around to the dorm that he and Bobby shared again. John could have taken the short walk like Bobby had, but he needed to think.  
  
But his musings were interrupted when a figure stepped in front of him. He reached into his pocket for his lighter, but the familiar female voice made him hesitate.  
  
"Why so jumpy?" Blaze said as she came out of the shadows. Her step had a bit of a limp in it, which was understandable. Even with the help of the moon, her face was too dark to see clearly.  
  
"I thought you were with Jubes," John commented.  
  
"I was . . . but I guess I decided to take a walk." Blaze replied vaguely. "Want to walk with me?"  
  
John shrugged. "Sure."  
  
They stepped outside into the gardens. The vast countryside stretched out for miles. The moonlight reflected onto the ground, giving the grass a slightly silver shade. Blaze was very quiet.  
  
Suddenly, she sat down on a stone bench. John sat down too, now playing with his lighter. He turned around. Blaze was looking at him with a creepy smile on her face. It sent shivers down his spine. Funny . . . she hadn't done that kind of a smile since in the future. But this one was different. More familiar.  
  
Her hand crept over to his lap seductively.  
  
John was feeling very uncomfortable. Blaze wasn't usually like this. What the hell does she think she's doing? But then . . . a cold realization hit him as to why she was so out of character, why she was walking when moments before she could barely stand, and why there was not a trace of blood around her nose . . .  
  
The firestarter stared down at her knee. And sure enough, there was red blood around those jeans. But only splatters that seeped through the fabric when whatever had bound it proved not to be enough. John scowled. He knew now who that seductive smile reminded him of.  
  
"Mystique."  
  
Blaze's face smiled. She licked her lips as blue scales erupted over her complexion and covered up the image that was Blaze's.  
  
John scowled. He didn't like the lengths Mystique went through. "What the hell are you doing here?" He asked coldly.  
  
"But Johnny . . ." Mystique purred (John winced. He hated that childish nickname, and she knew it), "I thought you _hated_ it here. Wasn't it. . .lack of freedom?"  
  
Pyro muttered something along the lines of "I don't _hate_ it."  
  
Mystique merely smiled knowingly.  
  
John was slightly confused. "I figured Mags would be pissed off. Didn't know you liked me so much."  
  
Mystique smirked.  
  
"Pyro. You don't belong here. You belong with us."  
  
"I go by John," He replied.  
  
"Perhaps among your 'friends'. But you know John is just a mask. A poseur. Pyro's real." Mystique said, a slightly hypnotic tone in her voice.  
  
John turned on her, anger rising from inside him. "You call me a poseur? What about you? You steal other people's images. What do you want, Mystique?" John had to strain to keep his voice even.  
  
"Erik and I want you back on the team," Mystique said simply.  
  
"What, be by myself again while you two do who-knows-what on missions?" John scowled.  
  
Mystique clicked her tongue. "Pyro, we _do_ take you on missions. You know that. You would not be the only one of your age. We have recruited several others."  
  
"And they actually managed to stay without running out the door? I'm impressed."  
  
"I didn't see you running in the five months with us." Mystique retorted.  
  
John was fed up now. "Forget it. Just get out of here, Mystique . . . and don't come back."  
  
"I see Xavier has had a far worse influence on you than we thought . . . now you're using clichés."  
  
"Shut up." John got up and began to walk across the lawn. "Get out before I get the _real_ Wolverine."  
  
But Mystique, in her subtle slippery way, had caught up with him. She whispered some parting words to him, "Don't forget . . . you know where we are . . . if you ever decide you're sick and tired of this place." John closed his eyes and shuddered slightly at the feeling of her breathing in his ear.  
  
She was gone.  
  
Try as he might, John could not get her parting words out of his head. He couldn't stop thinking about what she had said about his two identities. John figured she had heard way too many of Magneto's ranting and started using his "thoughts of wisdom" on other people.  
  
But he still couldn't stop thinking about it.  
  
". . . You know where we are . . . if you ever decide you're sick and tired of this place."  
  
Was he?


	4. Parting of Ways

Thanks for the reviews everybody! Sorry for the wait. I just started high school this year so I've been swamped with stuff and trying to catch up with stories I haven't updated in a about half a year. Heh.

Icegirl-Kat: Thanks for the review. 10 stories . . . jeez . . . never mind about what I said about having to juggle 6 stories! Thank you so much for bringing to my attention Blaze kind of toeing the line and John not being quite logical in thinking. Even though I read over my stories it's hard to catch those, so thanks for showing me that. I failed to mention John's conflicting feelings last chapter, so I'm adding them here. And I guess Blaze doesn't really have anybody who doesn't like her because I haven't really introduced other characters. It's mostly been her friends who wouldn't be her friends if they didn't like her and Jubilee. Now I'll briefly show some minor characters to give it the whole rounded look. She_ is_ going to be essential to the plot, but I will try to keep the focus from getting too much on her. So if you ever feel that Blaze is becoming too Mary Sueish please tell me! Thanks!

* * *

The next morning, John, Bobby, and Rogue sat around a table in the mess hall. It was breakfast.Bobby and Rogue were chatting, but John remained silent, his face stony. He knew he should tell someone that Mystique had gotten into the school. He knew that someone should know about the offer she had made.

But not yet. No one needed to know yet. Besides, he'd feel more comfortable just telling the Professor once and he wasn't back yet from whatever he was doing. It bothered him deeply how unwilling he was to confess. After all, even after he had betrayed them, they still took him back. But at the same time, he couldn't help but feel this intense mistrust of him from, well, _everybody_. He could feel their unforgiving stares. It made him feel suffocated and boxed in . . . a feeling that John not only hated, but usually didn't tolerate.

The only reason he was still here was because of them. Bobby. Rogue. No matter how sick their _loveliness_ sometimes makes him, he couldn't help but feel as if he'd give anything to make it up to them. They were the closest he's ever had to true friends.

That's why his own selfish desire to experience a freedom without walls or restraints or Logan's watchful eye disturbed him so much. That and the fact that he knows exactly what will happen in the future if he does go.

"Is something wrong, John?"

John looked up, breaking out of his deep thoughts.

"What?"

"Is something wrong?" Rogue repeated slowly and deliberately. John seems a little bit slow today.

"No." John answered. He looked down at his food and poked at it with his fork.

Rogue brushed a streak of white hair out of her face. "Are you sure?"

"Did you really think he'd admit it?" Bobby asked Rogue.

"Nothing's wrong," John repeated with a flare of irritability.

John was relieved of the distraction of someone loudly thunking their way towards them. It was Blaze, and she seemed very aggravated. She was wearing crutches, and there was a little bulge underneath her jeans at the kneecaps. Something was wrapped around her knees, which had taken the hardest blow yesterday. There was a thin strip of a brown material on her nose.

With great effort, she managed to sit down next do John and lean her crutches on the table. Then, she crossed her arms and glared at the table.

"What's wrong with _you_?" Rogue asked, wondering if the two firestarters mirroring each other was on purpose.

"Sometimes I wish I was back home," Blaze muttered. When she noticed Rogue's quizzical look, she clarified, "In the future."

Bobby was surprised. "Why?"

"Because the medicine was faster! If I was back in the future, I wouldn't have to wear these stupid annoying crutches . . ."

"No, but you'd be dead!" John snapped. Why was she complaining about having to wear crutches? _Deal with it, there are worst things,_ John thought angrily.

The other three looked up at him. Rogue exchanged a look with Bobby that said, _I told you something was wrong_. Blaze looked slightly surprised, but then her expression turned uncertain and slightly hurt.

"I guess . . ." Blaze muttered. Then she lit her pointer finger and began playing with the fire, making it dance around her fingertips.

John felt a pang of guilt at the hurt expression on his friend's face, and was about to apologize when they were interrupted.

"What happened to you, kid?" Logan's gruff voice was heard.

Blaze spun her chair around to see Logan staring at her nose and the crutches beside her. She was angry that John was being snappish today, angry that she had to endure crutches, and angry that Logan appeared to have no idea that he had went crazy yesterday and nearly killed her . . .

It alarmed John, Bobby, and Rogue when the candle on the table's flame suddenly rose to almost ceiling height. Blaze didn't have the power to manipulate other fire sources besides her own. Therefore the three were shocked to see that she was able to manipulate the candle flame. Logan was surprised to see fire in the girl's eyes, fire that was directed towards him.

"What happened to me?" Blaze asked slowly and deadly.

John, sensing another episode like in the Danger Room, seized Blaze's shoulder, causing her head to turn towards him, the fire burning within. "Don't do it," Pyro warned her. Reality seemed to hit her, because the fire flickered out, and she sank back into her seat with a sulky expression on her face.

Logan looked very confused. "What's going on here? Is there something I should know?"

Rogue and Bobby looked at each other. They silently decided that, to Rogue's dismay, that she would tell Logan about what happened.

Rogue explained what happened yesterday. Logan'seyes were blank with confusion.

Logan glanced at the firestarter, who was determinately not looking Logan's way. Then he turned back to Rogue and arched an eyebrow.

"That may be true Rogue . . . but I wasn't here yesterday or the day before. I was gone with the Professor. We just came back this morning."

Everyone except John was looking at each other with confused expressions.

"Then who . . ." Bobby's question spoke for itself.

"It was Mystique," John said quietly.

Blaze turned to John. "What?"

"It was Mystique," Pyro repeated louder.

"Mystique? But how can that be?" Rogue said, confused.

But Logan's question was said in rising anger, "How long have you known this?"

John looked up at Logan hesitantly, trying not to be afraid of his furious gaze. "Since last night. I was going to wait until the Professor came back . . ."

"Well, you can tell him everything _now." _Logan growled and he seized John's arm roughly and pulled him out of his seat.

Bobby and Rogue got up too. Logan glared at them. "And where do you think you two are going?"

"You're not leaving us behind!" Rogue informed Logan.

Logan scowled, but he gave in. "Fine, then," He said, leading John by his arm, all the while silently cursing the soft spot he had for Rouge. Bobby and Rogue began to go after him, but then paused to wait for Blaze to get up and pick up her crutches.

When they arrived at Xavier's office, John's arm was beginning to throb painfully. Logan had an extremely strong grip on his arm.

Professor Xavier looked up from a bunch of written papers on his desk.

"New student application," Xavier explained, gesturing to the documents. "What is it John would like to tell us?"

John looked behind him at his friends, but Logan roughly pushed him forward. Then he led the firestarter to a chair and forced him to sit down.

Xavier folded his arms across his desk, his eyes boring into John's, causing him to feel uncomfortable and fidgety.

"Well, John?" Xavier pressed gently.

"Um . . ." _You have to do this, John; _he thought to himself, _you promised to yourself that you'd tell him. _

It wasn't really Xavier John was uneasy about. It was Logan's looming, angry presence that unnerved him. Xavier, fortunately, sensed this.

"Logan, could you please leave us?" Xavier asked, not taking his eyes off John.

Logan looked like he'd rather not leave Xavier alone with the ex-traitor, but reluctantly stalked away.

"You three too," Xavier added, and Blaze, Bobby, and Rogue, left, each giving John worried looks.

"I wanted to make you comfortable enough, so I removed Logan, but not that comfortable with your friends around. This is serious. Now, would you tell me what happened yesterday?" There was no twinkle of kindness in Xavier's eyes, only seriousness.

John took a deep breath before speaking. "Two days ago, in the Danger Room, we were training, and it went crazy on us. It moved it to Level 10, I think . . . at least, that's what Blaze said it was. A lot of us got hurt, and the steroid flared up again. Scott said he'd left to go to the bathroom, and that Logan had been left alone in the Control Room. When he came back, the switches were all screwed up and Logan couldn't stop it.

"Then, yesterday, we had hand-to-hand combat. Logan wanted to have . . . you know . . . a demo fight. So he picked Blaze. And it was okay at first, but then he went crazy and started to aim to kill." John paused and looked up at the Professor hesitantly. His expression was blank, so John went on, "So Blaze stabbed his knee with a piece of the floor tile, and he ran away. She was pretty beaten up. So it was weird that when I saw her walking towards me when I was trying to go to my room.

"We walked and talked for a little, but then," John hesitated, shivering as the memory replayed in his mind, "Mystique showed herself. I guess she was the one who tampered with the Danger Room as Logan while you two were gone, since you couldn't be there to sense her presence. And then . . . she made me an offer. She told me that if I ever got sick and tired of the X-Men . . . I could go back with the Brotherhood."

John meekly looked up to meet Xavier's eyes. There was no anger or fire in the older man's eyes. Xavier usually gave off a youthful energy mixed in with wisdom, but now he just looked tired.

"Did she say anything else?" Xavier asked.

The firestarter thought for a moment. "She mentioned that I wouldn't be by myself, since they have more kids there. I mean, other than the survivors." Right before John, Bobby, and Rogue had been blasted to the future; there had been a huge explosion of the two conflicting groups, the very explosion that may have catapulted them from their own time. Strangely, the only deaths had been on the Brotherhood side. Xavier's X-Men had only minor injuries-nothing they couldn't fix. It seems someone up high favors the X-Men.

"They have new recruits?"

"Yeah."

"It seems Erik is trying to reassemble his army of young rebellious mutants, much like yourself," Xavier added as an after thought.

John shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "I guess,"

Xavier was silent. He seemed to be thinking hard about something. Finally, he spoke.

"John, I want you to go back to the Brotherhood."

The teen blinked. This was the last thing he'd expected.

"W-What?"

Xavier repeated it with patience.

"Um . . ."

"It would do me a great favor. Erik's actions are getting even more . . . well, you know what I mean. Recruiting young mutants to his cause . . . it's obvious he has something in mind." Xavier reasoned.

John hesitated. This is what he wanted wasn't it? Wasn't this what the shameful thoughts in his head been wanting? But what about what happens after? Would he be single handedly condemning everyone in the future to where they are at now? Suffering and no hope?

Xavier leaned forward on his desk, his green eyes boring into John's. "John I believe it would also help you as well. It's obvious you don't want to be here. I know that when someone is contained, the drive to get out grows stronger. For your sake, and everyone else's, you have to go." The Professor was speaking from personal experience. Despite the fact he had become used to being confined in a wheelchair, there was still those moments when he longed to just get up and run, with nothing restraining him.

Slowly, John nodded.

"But," The Professor added, "Someone will have to go with you."

"Who?"

Xavier thought for a moment. "Perhaps Blaze. She knows the dangers and can possibly keep you in line,"

John fidgeted uncomfortably when he had an image of her babysitting him. _Crap._ Blaze has been in such a bad mood lately, he wasn't sure that was a good idea.

The Professor seemed to sense his anxiety. "I believe it's for the best."

_Well I guess that's it then,_ John thought.

* * *

Bobby stared at his pyromaniac friend with a blank face. "_What?_" 

John shrugged. "Xavier said I had to go, one way or the other."

"No offense, but I don't think letting you out by yourself is a good idea, dude."

John huffed defensively. "Don't worry. Blaze is coming too."

"I am?"

Rogue sighed. "Well, the Professor has everything all planned out.It's got to befor a damn good reason." She turned to John. "When are you leaving?"

"Tomorrow," John replied.

Her eyebrows raised in surprise. "That soon?"

"Yup."

Blaze spoke up, confusion in her face. "So I'm supposed to protect you on _crutches?_"

John's eyes flared with indignation. "_Protect me?_ No one's going to protect me. I don't need any protecting!"

Rogue rolled her eyes. "Macho!"

Sulkily, John crossed his arms and leaned his weight on the wall, wondering how the hell the Professor expected him to extract information when he had no idea what kind of a hornet's nest he was walking into.

* * *

That night, Rogue was walking along the corridors to get to her dorm room. On the way, she could hear loud excited voices in one of the living rooms, which drowned out the echoes made by her boots. 

"Hey! Hey Rogue!"

She turned and saw Jubilee waving her over.

Rogue strode into the living room. A group of teens were bunched around a round table next to a crisp fire. Jubilee scooted over and made room for Rogue.

"Hey." Rogue smiled in greeting. She remembered the days before she came to Xavier's school. Scared and alone, she would rather hide in the shadows than be surrounded by other people. Other people she could touch. Other people she could hurt. Now completely covered, her phobia had been somewhat subdued. But there were still the nightmares. Nightmares that weren't even hers.

Ray leaned over the wooden round table. "Hey Rogue, is it true that Allerdyce is leaving again?"

Rogue frowned. How did they hear about John leaving? Well, no point in lying now that John's leaving for sure. "Yeah, he's leaving. So?"

Kitty, who had recently been released from the Hospital Ward, said, "So the Professor's just going to, like, let him go? I mean, isn't he like a traitor or something?"

Rogue wasn't sure how to answer that. She hesitated before answering. "I'm . . . uh . . . I'm not sure."

The phaser kept on going, apparently not hearing Rogue's uncertainty. "And what about that other girl? Blaze? I heard she's leaving too."

"Good," Another boy smirked. "She's just like Pyro. Weird."

Jubilee frowned. "I dunno. She's okay."

"Well, you don't really have a choice, do you Jubes? Being roommates and all?"

"C'mon Rogue!" Kitty pressed. Rogue felt herself sinking in her seat. Doesn't she get a hint? "You have to know something! You _are_ like a full X-Man right?"

Piotr Rasputin had been watching this conversation in silence. But the he spoke. "The Professor wouldn't just letPyro loose without a good reason. We have to have faith."

Rogue could have kissed him. Piotr had just touched on a subject that had made everyone silent. The Professor. They respected him and were thankful he had this school for them. There was no way they were going to insult him by hinting that they don't trust him! They especially didn't want him to read their minds and give them detention for their rude thoughts.

"I'm going to bed," Rogue announced, getting out of her seat. But she made sure to send Piotr a grateful smile before walking out of sight into the hallway.

* * *

John took one brief glance back at the sleepy mansion. It was early in the morning, and everyone was back in their warm beds. John, however, was out in the frosty cold. He shivered and pulled his jacket closer to himself. He wondered if he should have said goodbye. . . but then realized that he couldn't. John was going to have to wear the mask of Pyro now. He couldn't afford to get all sentimental. 

There was silence the whole way. Blaze sat there, staring out the window. The only sound inside the cab was the soft oldies that played on the radio. The cabby had tried to make conversation, asking the polite questions like "Going for a visit back home?" and such. John merely shook his head. After a few more unfruitful attempts, the cabby relapsed into silence.

John wondered why Mystique had asked him back. She must have assumed that the Professor wouldn't let him go. Well, maybe now it'll look like he just left by himself, considering the early hour.

The ride went on until they finally reached their destination, a boarding house. As John stepped out of the taxi, he could hear the difference between the mansion and the boarding house. The mansion had been quiet and serene. But this place was loud, despite this being early in the morning.

"So this is where we're staying?" Blaze asked.

"Yep. This is home." John answered. Then, together, they arrived onto the steps of the Brotherhood.

* * *

Destiny reached for the sunglasses she had worn her whole life. The shades were her protection against the stares she sometimes got. The stares that she could feel. The whiteness of her eyes sometimes bothered some people.

She whistled. She had always loved this tune. It was happy and cheerful like the sun, a nice change to the darkness that had always shrouded her life. She could hear the strong and reassuring footsteps of Sam, her guide dog.

After the accident, Destiny was in despair. Having lost both her parents, she was alone and unwanted. Who would want to take in a blind girl? But when she was assigned her guide dog, she knew Sam loved her. He reminded her of her father's strong presence, a presence she would like to think still watched over her. In a way, Sam was an earthly representation of her dad, bearing both his namesake and his essence.

Sam licked her hand enthusiastically. Smiling, Destiny stroked his silky mane, thinking about what she was about to do. She had seen two options in two different visions: she could either sit here aimlessly in her safe blindness, therefore condemning future generations to worse persecution than in the present, or she could make a sacrifice and rekindle some form of hope.

Destiny knew one thing: a sacrifice will be made for sure. And hopefully, with it, mutants will arise and make a place for themselves in this narrow-minded world.


	5. Resurrection

Thanks for the reviews! For some reason, I'm kind of proud of this chapter. Maybe it's because I didn't get writer's block on this chapter. I don't know. But please review!

I couldn't find much description on the Reavers, so if anybody knows of other members or any physical or personality descriptions, please let me know by leaving it in a review or e-mailing me (you'll find that in my profile). Thanks!

* * *

From inside the heart of the ocean, something awakened.

The being stirred uncertainly, struggling to remember what had previously happened. Ah. Its power had been used by the vessel to save other like it . . . others it cared for. Memories flooded the entity, memories that weren't its. It saw. It knew. It opened its eyes for the first time and saw nothing but darkness.

Of course.

The vessel's body had been in the ocean for so long with nothing but the being's essence to keep it alive. Now the vessel was unconscious, its mind sleeping. Using the power of the sun, it enveloped the vessel's body in fire, propelling them both upwards, towards light . . . and the sun.

Oh, the sun. Something it had not felt in so long. So long in being stored away in the back of the vessel's mind, stored away in nothingness, waiting for the right heir, the right time. It had a job to do, and the time has come to do it. To save everyone from Apocalypse. To save everyone from fearing and hating even more than they do now.

Weak now from using up the leftover energy from surviving in the ocean, the vessel's body collapsed from exhaustion. It did not have the energy to feel the presence of another, waiting in the shadows to strike.

…

The doors to the Brotherhood opened. Standing in the doorway was a sullen looking boy. His brown hair was so long, it almost covered his eyes.

"Who're you?" He asked suspiciously.

_At least he sounds sober, _Blaze thought, eyeing the other teenagers inside.

"I'm Pyro. This is Blaze. Mystique invited us." John replied.

The boy hesitated before shouting, "Blob! Get Mystique!"

They heard a loud crash before a blonde haired woman appeared at the door. She smiled as she saw John. "I see you've accepted my offer." Then see saw Blaze. "Who's this?"

"Blaze. She used to be at Xavier's school too."

Mystique noted her crutches. "What happened?"

"Got into a fight," Blaze said cockily, assuming a personality that she thought would suit this band of rebellious mutants, "The Profs got all pissed. They're so damn uptight!"

The shape shifter smiled coldly. "Well come in, then. It's much warmer inside."

Clutching their luggage tightly, they both entered the Brotherhood. They received no acknowledgment whatsoever from the other boarders. Not that John had very high expectations.

"Warm reception, huh?" John commented, almost cheerfully, to Blaze.

"Sure," Blaze answered absentmindedly, cocking an eyebrow at the pigsty they were going to stay in. Chip bags were everywhere, somebody was jumping around, their tongue flying out, several teens were spewed out on the couch, just sitting there, and some others were drinking Bud's Light. "This should be fun."

Once inside the safety of the house, Mystique morphed back into her blue self. Her yellow eyes seemed even colder than they had previously been. "Lance," She requested sweetly of long haired teen, "show them their rooms."

Lance scoffed. "Whatever," But he started going up the stairs, which John took as his cue to follow.

But Blaze had crutches. It was hard for her to get up the stairs. She put a crutch in the wrong place, so she slipped and began to fall backwards.

"Blaze!" John yelled. But he couldn't reach her.

"Ahhh!" She shrieked, knowing she would be falling a long way. Blaze closed her eyes, preparing for a hard fall.

But it never came.

She opened her eyes to see that a silver haired teen had saved her. He smirked, reminding her vaguely of John.

"Kindaclumsyarentyou? BythewayImPietroorQuicksilver." The boy said rapidly.

Blaze blinked, confused. John and Lance had come back down.

"Pietro." Lance scowled. Obviously he didn't like him.

"Oh. Is that what he said?" Blaze mused.

John sighed. It looks like the Brotherhood has picked up a variety of mutants. He didn't like this Pietro. He looked too slick, to slippery. Too untrustworthy. Plus, he reminded John vaguely of someone. But he couldn't put his finger on whom.

They didn't notice the door open. An old man walked in, heavy bags under his eyes from the weight he carried, from the repeated times when he had been injected with Stryker's serum.

"Magneto," John greeted politely. Usually he would have said something sarcastic, but he had a feeling that he probably shouldn't. No need to piss the old man off so soon.

"I see you've decided to return to us, Pyro," Magneto commented. "And I see you've met my son."

"S-son?" John stuttered, slightly taken aback. Magneto having children as young as Pietro was . . . it was slightly disturbing. This was definitely something John had not been expecting.

That's when Blaze realized Pietro was still holding onto her. She quickly regained her balance and stood up on her own, blushing slightly. She felt uncomfortable, standing in the presence of man who was dead in her time, a martyr.

Magneto had always been one of those shades of grey mutants. Some considered him evil. Some considered him good. People like Professor Xavier thought he had good intentions, but he just carries them out the wrong way. But then again, Professor Xavier's relationship with Magneto was complicated. They were good, old friends, yet they and their respective groups try to kill each other whenever they meet in conflict.

"Yes, my son," Magneto said dryly, obviously amused at Pyro's shocked expression, "My daughter as well. Wanda. I don't know where she is right now, but . . ."

He smiled at Pietro, which surprised John. Magneto didn't seem to be a very smiling kind of guy. Unless it was a menacing smirk.

"Why do you think I'm so dedicated to the cause?" Magneto asked, becoming surprisingly open,"I want to make a world that won't persecute my children."

John had always thought it was just because Magneto hated regular people. That he hated being unable to express his superiority. But he had a feeling that Magneto being so open might be his way of indirectly telling his son how important he was to him. John never thought Magneto could have the heart enough to care, but apparently he was wrong.

Either that or he was trying to keep John at the Brotherhood, unlike last time.

_No wonder no one trusts me,_ John thought grudgingly.

What else is new?

* * *

She lay in the bottom of Alkali Lake, encased in by the metal her own bones were made of.

_No,_ She thought, _They weren't made of adamantium. Someone put them there. Who was it?_

_Oh. Stryker._

She struggled to remember basic things. Her name. What was her name?

_Lady Deathstrike._

No.

_Yuriko Oyama._

Yes, that was it. That was her identity before becoming Stryker's pawn. That was the person she wanted to hold on to. Not that it mattered. Hopefully she'd die soon.

But she hasn't yet. She had waited, her mind slowly diminishing, waiting for the end to come. Waiting for her long suffering to end.

Suddenly, she could feel her heavy metal filled body lifting. But she didn't care enough to wonder how this was happening. She could feel the release of the containing water around her. Yuriko was above the water! But how?

Yuriko could hear a soft sound. The sound of tires.

"What do we have here?" A gruff voice wondered aloud.

Yuriko wanted to flinch at the touch of the cold metallic hand, but she couldn't.

Now a different man spoke. His voice was smooth and sophisticated. "She's full of metal. If I'm not mistaken . . . she may be one of Stryker's experiments."

"Stryker?" The sound of wheels became closer. "Then that means . . ."

"The adamantium. It could very well be in this lady here."

The gruff man laughed. "Then this one may be worth saving."

* * *

Its senses detected the presence immediately. But the vessel's body had no physical defenses. It would have to rely on its willpower.

Using its power, the attacker was sent flying. Only then did it realize its mistake. It felt terrible pain as something latched itself to the vessel's back-_it's back_-and go through it. It felt violated, as it felt something polluting its system, twisting its original purpose.

Trying to fight the invading virus, it knew it was hopeless. It was far too weak. It felt itself being ripped out of its heir's body.

But it was surprised to feel itself forming a physical body of its own! It twisted and shaped until it became an exact replica of the vessel.

The mastermind smiled. It happened exactly as he predicted. Exactly as he planned. Everything was placed by him for his own purpose. And now . . . this powerful being will join him . . . willingly or unwillingly, it doesn't matter. He's already planted the seeds of darkness. It only needs to be nurtured.

"Welcome back, Phoenix." He said, chuckling slightly.

The Phoenix knew that this mutant was poisoning her. Knowing she could do nothing to stop it, she tried to reach out, placing memories and knowledge into the vessel, hoping it would be able to save everything from falling apart.

Then, everything changed.

Dark Phoenix had telepathy, but no telekinesis. That would be needed. So, using her newly found absorbing powers, she willed Jean Grey's telekinetic powers into her.

Then, Dark Phoenix and its new found partners walked off, leaving a bleeding Jean Grey sprawled on the ground next to Alkali Lake.

* * *

Yuriko Oyama flinched in her mind as she felt a booming voice there.

_Who are you?_ It asked.

_I think that's my question, _Yuriko asked suspiciously, _You are the one in _my _mind._

_I am Donald Pierce, leader of the Reavers._

_The Reavers? _

_Yes. We are cyborgs. I myself am a mutant. I used to be affiliated with the Hellfire Club_, he sounded proud of this.

Yuriko was not impressed. What a useless waste of her time. _What do you want? If you are just going to brag about past affiliations, then kill me now._

There was a rich ringing of laughter in her head. _Quite a fighter! Yes . . . I supposed I've rambled on for long enough. Now, to business. You are dying, as you should know. The metal preserved your body, but the metal in your head is polluting your brain. Now, we have a process that can move that metal to a different part of your body. Just one side effect-you will become one of us. I understand your claws are extended from your fingernails, correct? Well, I'll have to transfer the metal to your hands . . . they will become longer, sharper. Abnormal. You won't be able to pass as a human anymore. _

_No._

_What?_

_Iwill notbecome another science experiment. _Yuriko decided stubbornly.

_But this is for your life!_

_Yes. But I've sinned enough in my life. I don't want to live with what I did. I don't want to have to hide myself, scarred and disfigured once I get a second chance. If you have any kindness in you, you'd find a way to kill me quickly. _

Pierce cursed under his breath. If she died, they could extract the metal from her body, but they would lose a powerful asset. In their world of thieves, they could use a fighter like her. Metal inserted in her bones. Practically indestructible.

But it seemed that this one would be far too stubborn. Pierce sighed. It looks like he'll have to resort to Pretty Boy . . .

He indicated to Pretty Boy. The young man stepped forward. He locked his eyes with Yuriko's, and using fiber optic filaments in his eyes, he began to alter her personality to make her more cooperative.

Pierce decided to coax her vulnerable mind to see his side of things.

_You speak of past sins. Well, isn't this a second chance at life? Isn't this the time you should take to repent? Shouldn't being "disfigured" as you call it, be proper punishment? _

_Well . . ._ Yuriko sounded hesitant, _maybe . . . yes, I see what you mean. _

_So you will go though it then? _

_Yes. _

Good. Pierce was pleased. Pretty Boy had done a good job. But what Pierce didn't mention to Yuriko was that she may lose some of her memories. The water and metal had polluted her brain, and this process will cause her to lose some of the memories stored there. Not that it really mattered. She wanted to start over. Well, at least now it may be with a clean slate.

And so the process began. Yuriko stayed in the large liquid tube while machines poked and prodded her, slowly transferring the metal to her hands. Occasionally some of the other Reavers would pass by and grimace at the sight.

The only one who seemed unaffected was Bonebreaker, who himself had no legs and traveled-literally-on wheels. Not in a wheelchair. The entire bottom half of his body consisted of motor wheels.

Finally, it was done. Yuriko Oyama awakened to a light feeling in her entire body. She felt nauseated, fighting the urge to vomit. There was a breathing mask over her face. The mutant fought and thrashed. She winced as a terrible pain shot up in her leg. Yuriko looked down to see several deep gashes in her leg. They looked like animal scratches. There was relief when the wounds healed themselves. That's when she noticed.

Her hands were no longer delicate and at first glance-harmless. Now they were long and sharp. As she tried to curl the freakishly long finger toward her palm, she saw the blood on the sharp fingertips. Her blood.

She cried out in anguish at what had happened to her. She tore at the glass encasement, scratching over and over again until the glass broke and she was free. Tearing off the breathing mask, Yuriko curled into a ball and began to sob, something she had not been at liberty to do in so long.

_I've become even more of a monster than before! _She wailed in the privacy of her mind.

Suddenly, anger rose up inside of her. Anger she had never learned to contain. Yuriko knew. She knew that something had been taken away. Something was not whole. All she could remember was . . . Wolverine! He had tried to kill her! He was the one who had condemned her to having to resort to this. There was something else too. Someone else she should hate. St-Stry-she couldn't remember. It doesn't matter now. All that mattered was revenge on Wolverine for what he did.

Yuriko felt the sudden warmth of wool upon her bare skin. Standing up with a new resolve, she wrapped the robe around herself, staring coldly into the eager eyes of Donald Pierce. Yes . . . he wanted to use her for the unique metal in her body. She could feel the deceit. This man would manipulate her for his bidding. Just like Stry- . . . this man would use her as a puppet.

_We'll see who will become the puppet master in the end, _Yuriko thought wickedly, licking her lips at the satisfying thought.

"So what is your name?" Pierce asked, sounding exactly like a diplomat. Respecting her for her resilience, but fearing her for her abilities.

How should she answer?

Yuriko Oyama?

_No._

Lady Deathstrike.

* * *

Scott stared out the window. He could see it happening, over and over. It has haunted him and plagued his dreams for so long. The helplessness. Not being able to help Jean. She's dead, and the world has taken a step towards complete chaos, complete segregation of mutants. The law that would force all the mutants to give their identities away is being debated right now.

Some kind souls who knew mutants were arguing against it. Most, however, let their hate, jealousy, and fear rule their decision to argue for the law.

Jean had led such a campaign against the Mutant Registration Law. But now she was gone, and the minority of those who agreed with her had little voice. They had been accused as traitors to humanity. Some have been harassed, others threatened and blackmailed. Most of their supporters were pulling out, afraid of retaliation against them and their families. The numbers of supporters in Washington was dwindling, and he knew it.

Scott had little hope now. What was the point? Everything had gone wrong for the X-Men, for mutants . . .

The mutant grabbed some Prozac pills and gulped it down with a glass of water.

He had no idea why Professor Xavier allowed Pyro back into the mansion. He never liked the troublemaker from the beginning. There was always a deceiving and coldly calculating air about him.

And now he's left again. With him, the new student. The other firestarter. Both in the same fold. The girl had not been here long, but Scott also had a feeling about her. She was not all she seemed. Something was hidden, something important. Many kids at the mansion had secrets, but he had a feeling this was something worthy of investigating.

The Professor had not listened.

Suddenly, he heard banging on his door. He ignored it and turned back towards the window, lost in his thoughts.

"Scott?" Rogue's soft, but recognizable voice came from the other side of the door, "The Professor wants you downstairs,"

There was no answer. Rogue sighed, knowing the Professor had specifically asked for Scott. But she knew he was gone, holed up deep inside himself and his misery.

"The Professor says it's urgent," Rogue said.

Finally, the door slowly swung open, its hinges creaking softly. Scott paused to adjust his red sunglasses before silently making its way downstairs. Rogue silently followed him.

Most of the members of the X-Men were arranged downstairs, all looking confused.

Only Professor Xavier knew what was making its way towards the Institute this very minute. There was no use in telling the others who it was; there was no way to prepare them for this. But he also knew they had to be cautious. He was allowed to identify the physical body, but the mind was blocked.

This aroused suspicion.

Rogue found her way to Bobby and slipped her hand into his.

"What do you think is going to happen?"

Bobby shrugged, "I don't know, but it's definitely not the ice cream man,"

His girlfriend stared.

"We-we ran out of ice cream," Bobby mumbled, embarrassed.

"That's because you always eat it all!" Rogue teased, poking his stomach, "You'd better watch it."

Bobby gaped in mock indignation. "Hey! Me? Fat? No way."

Rogue was about to retort when the door swung open.

Nothing could have prepared them for what they saw. It couldn't have been possible. Everyone's jaws dropped. They had seen this woman drown before their own eyes. They had mourned for this woman for months now.

Scott was the first to utter any words. "J-Jean?" He stuttered. A wave of emotion overcame him. Shock, joy, bitterness, and finally . . . anger.

He raced over and grabbed the beautiful, slender neck of his dead love. Using his anger as a newfound strength, he slammed her against the wall, choking her.

"Sc-Scott! What are-y-you doing?" Jean gasped.

"How . . . _dare you?_" Scott spat at her, "You have no-no right to look like _her!_ You disgust me, _Mystique!_"

The Professor felt a wave of emotion from Jean. It was the first time her guard was let down. But the emotion was not of joy or anger at being accused as Mystique. It was mocking laughter. Whoever this was, it was laughing at Scott's anger.

Then Scott found himself pried gently from the apparition and found himself floating in midair. Jean's eyes were narrowed in concentration. It was clear she was the one doing the telekinesis. So . . . that meant . . .

"You-you're alive?" Scott said, tears welling up in his eyes, half doubting, and half believing.

Jean let him down next to her. "Yes, Scott," She said softly, gently stroking his cheek, "I'm back."

Scott looked at her tenderly for a moment, relishing her soft, smooth skin and soft, loving eyes. Then, he muttered, "Sorry," lifted his sunglasses, and blasted Jean into a wall.


	6. Destroying Destiny

Thanks for the reviews! Yeah, the last chapter was a bit confusing, huh? Well, hopefully this'll clear things up a bit. Enjoy the extra, _extra_, long chapter . . . review please!

**TheDreamerLady: **Want to see more of Destiny? Well, I guess you'll like _this_ chapter . . . (wink)

**CrazyHorses: **I know! Everyone in the X-Men: The Movie fandom seems to hate Scott! Well, there are those occasional fics that have Scott's POV on Jean's death. Maybe it's just the ones I read that hate Scott . . . but anyway. Scott's a little uptight, but he's a good guy and _does _have a dark side in my opinion . . .

* * *

Jean lay slumped on the wall, her vibrant red hair sprawled across her face. Scott quickly recovered his eyes with his sunglasses so he wouldn't burn a hole though the wall. 

Professor Xavier nodded approvingly. "Good choice, Scott." He knew how hard this choice would be for Scott . . . choosing the right thing to do. Now, they could find out who this was. True, she possessed telekinetic powers, as Jean had, but you can never be too careful. It was like a chess game; put your pieces in a dangerous spot, and you could lose the game just like that. Just one mistake could cost you dearly.

"Lock her up," Professor Xavier motioned to Kurt.

Kurt Wagner nodded and disappeared with the image of Jean Grey in a flash of blue smoke.

After Nightcrawler was gone, Scott slumped heavily onto a chair, putting his face in his arms.

"One-Eye?" Scott looked up.

It was Logan.

Everyone else had cleared the room, even Professor Xavier. He crouched down next to Scott, staring at him with fierce eyes. "What do you think? Is she real?"

Scott looked up and saw a barely contained desperation in Logan's eyes.

"I . . . I don't know." Scott mumbled, fidgeting uncomfortably in Logan's fierce gaze.

Disappointment flashed across Logan's face, but it was gone as quickly as it'd come.

"Guess we'd better find out then, huh Bub?" Logan replied gruffly, sticking his hand out awkwardly to Scott.

Though stunned at Logan's chivalry, Scott accepted Logan's hand. Then, they set off to the room where they would find out if Jean Grey had truly come back from the dead.

They arrived in the under levels of the mansion to see Jean tied up, but still unconscious.

"We've treated some of the wounds she received from the impact," Xavier said, wheeling in. "Though unconscious and vulnerable, I still can't seem to get a read off her."

"Well, she'd have to be, if she survived for this long underwater or wherever the hell she was!" Logan vouched for her.

Xavier watched this curiously. Logan seemed to be the one more hopeful that Jean was indeed alive. But yet Scott . . . he just stared at Jean coldly. Perhaps he didn't want to be disappointed.

_I hope, for their sakes, this is not a disappointment._ And the Professor didn't think it was. He had _felt_ Jean's presence shortly after Alkali Lake. It was much more powerful and great. Maybe this is why he couldn't get into her mind.

_The student has finally surpassed the master,_ Xavier thought, smiling slightly.

Suddenly, Jean began to stir. She looked up at Scott and Logan. Scott looked away.

But when she finally met with Scott's eyes, though she could not see them, tears began forming in Jean's eyes.

"Scott . . ." she choked, and Logan wasn't sure whether or not it was out of pain that Scott attacked her, or joy of seeing him again. It was then that Logan felt a sense of rejection.

_Girls flirt with the bad boy, Logan . . . they don't take him home._

"Scott it's me . . ." Jean said, a glistening tear sliding down her face.

Scott stared at her, the corners of his mouth hard. "Prove it, then."

"Haven't I shown you my powers?" Jean asked, a hurt expression on her face.

He still didn't respond. "You could have faked it somehow. If you really were Jean instead of Mystique, then you would know we need to know for sure."

"But I'm not Mystique," Jean said softly. "I'm me."

She looked up at him, her eyes glistening and beautiful, "Remember, when you took me to that park, where we had our first kiss? We were eating my horrible turkey sandwiches, but you stayed quiet and didn't complain about them."

Scott's mouth twitched.

Logan felt horribly uncomfortable right now. He found his mind straying to when he had kissed Jean, and when she had rejected him for Scott.

"Just because you know that doesn't mean you're Jean!" Scott shouted as a barrage of emotions hit him, "You could have gotten that information anywhere! Jean Grey is _dead, _do you hear me?! You-you are nothing but an imposter . . ." his voice choked up as a lump appeared in his throat. He couldn't do this any more. So he did the only thing he could.

He ran.

Jean looked down sadly. "I understand why he's acting like this."

"How _did_ you escape from the ocean?" Xavier pressed.

Logan felt much more uncomfortable. He couldn't help but feel sorry for One-Eye. _This is awkward._ He thought.

"I-I don't know. Something . . . I was unconscious and then all of a sudden I'm washed up on the shore. I kind of wandered and finally made my way back here."

Xavier nodded, his eyes kind but wary. "Then you wouldn't mind if we kept you locked up? Comfortable, of course, but we have to take precautions, especially after being attacked once."

Jean nodded. "Okay,"

With that, Xavier and Logan left. Logan hesitated, wanting to say something, but bit his tongue. He was nervous around this Jean, who miraculously managed come back to life.

After they were gone, Jean's face erupted in a smile. Dark Phoenix was pleased, and she knew her new master would be too.

The fools bought it. Though Dark Phoenix blocked her mind from Xavier, and though she saw the wariness in the old man's eyes, she knew she had successfully tricked them. It was just a matter of the confirmation.

Scott, the love of Jean Grey's life, ran. He ran because he couldn't face the truth at the moment, because he knew it was Jean. Dark Phoenix pretty much _was_ Jean. She had her face, her powers, and her memories.

Dark Phoenix knew it's time to crumble the X-Men from within.

* * *

Rogue and Bobby were instructed by the Professor to go meet John and Blaze at a designated meeting point. He never explained how he had got into contact with him, but they trusted him. 

But Bobby knew the real reason he wanted them out was that Professor Xavier predicted there would be major fireworks. This was going to be emotional . . . and although Bobby really wished he could be there to find out if Jean's . . . really alive . . . he knew it was not his place. This concerned the Professor, Scott, and Logan.

He realized right then that he didn't want to be either one of the three.

Bobby felt Rogue's gloved hand slip through his. He smiled at her lovingly, and a comfortable silence elapsed between the two of them.

To tell the truth, Bobby wanted desperately to tell them the truth. He wanted to tell them that Jean was alive, that she had really come back. But still . . . there were so many gaping holes in the future; they can never really be sure. But Bobby was convinced that it was really Jean.

What he didn't know was that part of their future will become known to them very soon.

* * *

Destiny was outside walking Sam, her guide dog, enjoying the warmth of the sun on her skin. 

Sam walked at a regular pace; he never strayed to greet other dogs or ever leave his mistress's side. He knew how important he was. He knew he would be his mistress's eyes, protector, and best friend.

If only Sam had known he could never save his mistress from her destiny. For now, he walked alongside her, completely oblivious to the pain his mistress would have to go through to do the right deed.

Sam was oblivious, but Destiny wasn't. She knew what she had to do. She felt for the dark alley, and turned into it.

Reaching her hand out cautiously, she felt the cool, slick wall and remembered it as the same rough texture she'd felt in her vision. There, she waited.

Destiny could feel the slight tug on the leash in her right hand. She knew Sam wanted to keep on walking and enjoy the sunshine.

_You will be enjoying the sunshine for a long time, my friend, _she thought, _whereas I will not be able to for much longer . . ._

"What a nice doggy you got there!" A voice complimented, trying for honey sweetness. But Destiny had been listening and learning to analyze voices all her life. She knew underneath the feigned mask was a hard, fake growl.

"Thank you," she added anyway for good measure. It has begun.

There was a slight pause. "Those sunglasses look expensive. What brand?"

"I wouldn't know," Destiny answered truthfully.

She braced herself for it, and it came. A hard, stinging backhand to her face. Her left cheek throbbed, and she could taste blood on her lips. She felt a rough tugging her purse, as well as the protective barking and growling from Sam.

"Damn you dog!" The mugger cried out in pain as a muffled growl came straight in front of her. Destiny assumed Sam must have bitten her attacker, as she had seen in her vision. The mutant kids should be coming any time now . . .

Suddenly, everything stopped. There was a slight gasp of surprise, and a hard thump on the floor.

"Hey, is this yours?" A syrupy female voice with a slight accent asked.

"Yes. Thank you. How did you knock him out?" Destiny asked, pretending to be ignorant.

There was a slight pause before the girl said quickly, "Oh, I just hit him on the head with my purse." The girl, Destiny remembered, had held up her purse at this moment, oblivious to the fact that Destiny is not able to see her gesture.

"Here . . ." a new voice, male this time, said. Destiny recalled that he was holding out her purse.

She groped the air for a second, then asked, "Could you hand it to me? I can't see where it is."

The boy hesitated, confused, for a second before placing it into Destiny's waiting hand.

"Thank you, I really appreciate it." Destiny laughed as she felt Sam's warm tongue licking the side of her face.

"No problem," they both chorused.

Destiny picked herself up, using her cane to keep her balance. "I'm Destiny, by the way."

"I'm Rogue, and this is Bobby," the girl said.

"Well, I'm deeply indebted," Destiny said, smiling. She felt her cane for them before managing to pull Rogue into a hug.

"Glad to help," Rogue said, slightly surprised. "It's not like we could just leave you there."

Destiny frowned. "Oh, believe me, some would have." She smiled, knowing the exact time was now, just as she had foreseen.

"I want to show you something," Destiny said suddenly.

"Uh . . ."

Without warning, Destiny pulled both of her hands onto Rogue's face.

"No . . ." Rogue moaned as she felt her absorb Destiny's life force, felt again the addicting high.

But she didn't just absorb her life force.

Suddenly, Rogue found herself somewhere altogether, no longer in an alley on a sunny day, but in front of a huge crowd, the sky grey, cloudy, and depressed.

She was confused. What the heck happened here? She tried to get a woman next to her to answer her questions, but the woman didn't acknowledge her, instead yelling with an ecstatic expression on her face.

Rogue tried poking her, but her finger merely went through her clothes. It was only then that she turned to see what the woman was looking at. Horror and disbelief filled her as she took in the sight.

It was the gallows where Rogue herself had stood, her head in a noose, waiting to be hanged. But that was in the future, a little more than a decade from now. How? Just visiting this place caused chills in her spine.

"It's strange," a voice spoke up from Rogue's other side. She managed to pull her eyes off of the horrific site and address the familiar voice.

Destiny continued commenting, "My visions have never come like this. Always painful bits and pieces. It usually takes me a few minutes to sort things out." She looked at Rogue thoughtfully, "Maybe because you're sharing it is why it's different."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Rogue snarled, clearly annoyed. What right did this woman think she had to bring Rogue here of all places?

Destiny frowned. "I do not control the visions. I'm sorry if this vision causes you pain, but it is essential that you witness this."

"Why?" Rogue demanded, her voice cracking almost hysterically.

"For the sake of our future," Destiny said simply, letting the words sink in.

Rogue narrowed her eyes, "What-?"

"Watch." Destiny interrupted her, turning to the gallows.

"Kill the mutie!" Angry, hateful voices cried out from the crowd.

There, a woman was being noosed. She spat into the eye of her executioner, smirking despite the grim fate that faces her. The executioner also injected some fluid from a needle into her.

Rogue's heart skipped a beat. She had not recognized the woman because of the various scars and for the hard, vicious look that seemed to be permanently etched onto her face.

It was Blaze.

But she was much older, and a far cry from the one Rogue knew in her time.

Destiny had heard the gasp of surprise and recognition from Rogue. She knew the mutant being executed. Perhaps this was the reason why she has to see this vision. Or maybe there's more. Destiny just saw that she gave Rogue the vision, not the vision itself.

"Oh, god . . ." Rogue couldn't breathe for a moment. This couldn't be the future, could it? Blaze was there with them . . .

"How the hell can this be? We _changed_ the future . . ."

Destiny was surprised, "You've gone to the future?"

Rogue nodded, but remembered that Destiny couldn't see that, she said, "Yeah,"

"Maybe this is how the other time line would have gone if you hadn't changed it," Destiny suggested.

Suddenly, someone on the side spoke, his hatred laced deeply into his harsh words, "This is, as you all know, a notorious rebel, a killer of many of our own people . . . a mutant."

The crowd booed and hissed at the word "mutant". Blaze's face remained stony and emotionless, her cold blank eyes staring out at a sea of hatred.

_This has gotten worse. It was bad, but not this bad when we were in the future!_ Rogue thought, wanting to help her friend but knowing she could do nothing but watch.

"We, thanks to the combined efforts of our military, have finally apprehended a mass murderer, a killer of children . . ."

Blaze whipped her head around at that last accusation. Outrage filled her eyes with fire, the first sign of emotion she has shown since the man first started speaking.

She screamed out, "If anyone is a murderer of children, it's _you_ people!"

More shouts and accusations erupted from the crowd.

The announcer smiled evilly, "_Us?_ If you count mini muties, I really don't think that counts. We're just eradicating filth. Just think, if we were to let them live, they'd grow up to be just like _you._ Hanging on a noose."

Blaze scowled, and said, "Well, if that's your excuse, then I'm pretty damn proud of _eradicating _a few of the true murderers."

"Oh!" The announcer retorted. "The _true _murderers, huh? Well, I'm not the one on death row. I think that's enough," he nodded to the executioner. "Do it."

Rogue wanted to close her eyes, but she couldn't. She couldn't help but notice that Blaze never flinched when the trapdoor beneath her opened.

"What's so damn important about seeing this?! How is this 'essential' to see?" Rogue demanded of Destiny, seriously tempted to suck the life energy out of her again.

But before Destiny could respond, something happened in the vision that took Rogue's attention off her rage.

Time stopped.

_Literally_. The woman next to Rogue had her fist frozen in the air, her face contorted in sadistic glee.

_What is going on now?_ Rogue thought, getting more irritated and fearful by the minute. Did she really want to see what this is going to bring?

A huge black circle of swirling spirals appeared on the gallows stage, where Blaze hung by her neck, her eyes still showing signs of life in them, pain eternally contorted on her face.

From it, came something Rogue never expected. A huge, almost mechanical man stepped from it. Rogue would have thought he was some sort of a robot except that he had a human head, though most of his face was covered by a mask.

He knelt next to the trapdoor and pressed something on his armor. From inside the armor's bulk, he took out a huge, box shaped needle. He inserted it into Blaze's arm, and stayed like that for a moment, the gigantic needle slowly filling up with her blood.

Rogue watched with horror as her friend's face slowly began to become paler and paler as her blood was drained out of her.

When the strange man was done, he inserted the needle back into his armor, stepped back into the portal, and was gone.

In the instant that the portal closed, and time restarted, Rogue saw that Blaze would not have to suffer too much; she was already nearly dead.

"Who . . . _what _was that?" Rogue demanded. Then, realizing her mistake, she snarled, "But then you couldn't see anything, could you?"

Destiny turned her head at her. "I could. I see the visions inside my head. But I only saw the part that was vital; when he arrived."

"And who is _he?"_ Rogue asked, very much wanting to punch her at her calm, nonchalant tone.

"The great evil. He is the one that you must stop." Destiny answered.

Rogue scoffed at the melodramatic answer, "Well, then how the hell are we supposed to stop a _great evil_ when we don't even know what he is, or what he can do, or even why the hell he even did that?!"

"That is your job to figure out. I'm just the messenger." Destiny hesitated, "I know this is frustrating. You think I wouldn't want to be fighting alongside you instead of just delivering the bad news? I'm blind enough and lack the power to help in a fight, but yet I can see just enough to see the horror of the future. Isn't it wonderful that the only time I can see is to witness images of pain and death?!" Sarcasm dripped from Destiny's voice.

Rogue was shocked to hear such a bitter tone from Destiny. She had broken the calm wall she had so carefully built. Rogue imagined she would have to create that wall if she saw such depressing things every time she had a premonition.

"I will tell you one thing," Destiny said, her voice rising uncontrollably, "this abomination is the same as your unidentifiable killer. The one who seems to target only mutants . . . and take all their blood."

Rogue gasped. "The guy the Professor told us about!"

Destiny suddenly looked up at the sky, distracted. "It's time for us to go," she looked at Rogue, now pleading with her, "Please, change this. Change everything I have foreseen. I've done my part, it's over . . . but your part in this fight is just beginning."

"You can help us, Destiny! Meet the Professor . . . he could help you, help us all!"

Destiny smiled sadly, "No, Rogue, I'm afraid that my fate, now that I've made this choice . . . my fate is not be in this fight any longer."

Rogue stared, confused. She was about to protest when she felt herself being yanked away. The next thing she knew was being shaken and hearing Bobby's hysterical voice screaming at her to wake up.

"Rogue! _Rogue_!" Bobby screeched.

"My ear! My _ear!_" Rogue screeched back.

Bobby stared at her with his bright blue eyes examining her carefully. Once convinced Rogue was okay, he pulled her into a suffocating embrace.

"Rogue, what happened there . . ." Bobby began.

"Where's Destiny?" Rogue asked sharply.

Bobby paused for a second, slightly hurt at being snapped like that, "Uh . . . she took off."

"And you didn't stop her?" Rogue yelled.

Bobby's eyes suddenly turned fierce and cold, "Well I was more concerned about whether or not you were okay!"

Rogue met Bobby's eyes, feeling slightly shocked. She must have really worried him.

Upon seeing Rogue's scared eyes meet his, Bobby softened his gaze. "Sorry."

"No, I'm sorry . . ." Rogue trailed off, now lost in Bobby's eyes, almost completely forgetting what she had just seen.

But then Bobby reminded her. "What happened?"

Rogue sighed. "Destiny's a mutant. She has visions of the future, and I guess she was supposed to show me that vision so we can stop some creepy gigantic guy in armor, who happens to be a great evil."

Bobby blinked. "What?"

"Let's go meet John. Then I won't have to tell it twice," Rogue suggested.

* * *

They met at the park bench with an extremely irritated John, who was angrily flipping his Zippo lighter on and off repeatedly at increasing intervals. 

"You're late," he said, not bothering to hide the annoyance from his voice.

Bobby looked around. "Where's Blaze?"

Rogue flinched at Blaze's name, all too vividly remembering what she had witnessed in the vision.

"Library. She said she had to do research."

"On _what?_" Bobby asked, incredulous, "It's not like she goes to school anymore."

John shrugged. "So anything interesting happen while I've been gone?"

"There have been less inconvenient fires," Bobby suggested cheerfully.

John shot him a very scary look.

"But seriously . . ." Rogue cut in, "Jean came back."

This snapped John out of his irritation. "_What?_" he asked.

Bobby shrugged. "We knew she'd come back eventually."

"_What?_" John repeated again.

There was a snort of laughter ahead of them. Rogue practically jumped out of her skin when she saw who it was.

"You look like you've seen a ghost," Blaze commented, sounding slightly worried, "You okay?"

Rogue wasn't sure who Blaze was referring to, John or her.

"Jean's back," Bobby filled in.

Blaze frowned. "I thought she came back later than this. But I don't know. She didn't really talk about specifics."

"So, Rogue, you said you were going to tell us what happened with that girl we saved?"

"What girl?" John asked, completely confused and oblivious. He didn't like the scared look on Rogue's face. Or the way she kept on glancing nervously at Blaze. Something was up.

Rogue told the story of what happened to intent listeners. She kept glancing at Blaze. Even through the part about her being hanged, Blaze kept on a stony expression not unlike the one she had held in the vision.

"So everything is all connected with the murders Xavier was telling us about?" John asked.

"I guess," Rogue answered.

John looked at all of them in turn, "Then I guess we'll have to figure out who this guy is. You guys are going to tell Xavier about this, right?"

_They'd better. _John thought. _This is the freaking future we're talking about! We need Xavier's help._

"What about the Brotherhood?" Blaze asked, her voice quiet.

John shook his head. "We can't trust them yet; maybe later, if they get affected by this. But for now, it should just be X-Men only."

"Does that include you two?" Bobby asked, "Since you're undercover, you can't really work with us . . ."

Blaze and John glanced at each other, silently agreeing, "We'll do our own work. You think I'd trust _you_, Bobby, with this?"

Bobby chuckled, "Looks like you have to."

John got up from the bench, smirking arrogantly, "Guess we'd better get to work, huh?"

* * *

Destiny walked around in the park, alone with her cane and her own thoughts. She had gone to the agency that had given Sam to her, and returned him, saying he'd been too much trouble to take care of. Luckily, or maybe it was fate, the receptionist didn't know Destiny, so she couldn't have known how much Sam meant for her, how much she loved that dog. 

It had hurt so much to give Sam away; it was like there was a huge hole in her chest. And that hole got bigger the closer she got to the destination where she would meet her own destiny, her own fate.

She dreaded this. There was so much Destiny wanted to do with her life; she was still so young. But she knew that she had to be a martyr for the sake of peace, for reversing all the horrible imagines in her mind she's seen of the future.

The man she saw in her vision is after her, especially now that she's shown Rogue the vision. She didn't know what means he had to discover that information, but he knew. And no matter where she was, he'll come for her, for her powers. Destiny knew that if she stayed with the X-Men, there would be casualties. Therefore, she has to die alone.

Finally, she was there. Sitting down on a soft patch of grass, Destiny waited, lightly brushing her fingers through the blades of grass, relishing their damp softness that reminded her of Sam's wet little nose.

Suddenly, something cold and strong picked her up off the grass.

"You have something I want," it hissed, the voice only sounding distinctly human.

She stared straight ahead, where she knew the aggressor was, for she could feel the stink of his breath, and whispered, "Take it,"

Destiny could sense the sadistic smile creeping onto the machine man's face.

She gasped in agony as something cold was thrust through her chest. Gritting her teeth and trying not to cry out, Destiny hoped her death would be quick. She could actually _feel_ something being drained out of every vessel in her body.

The pain from her visions couldn't even come close with this.

Finally, after a few more agonizing moments that felt like an eternity, she was released, and crumpled to the ground.

With a satisfied laugh, the man was gone.

Destiny knew it would take some time for her to die. But through the pain, she smiled, knowing this would be fruitless for the man. When she and Rogue had a vision together, her ability to have visions was drained away. Rogue wouldn't posses her powers, but neither does Destiny. The man didn't get anything.

In a few books Destiny had read in Braille, they say that when a person dies, their vision becomes darker and darker until complete blackness takes over.

But Destiny's world has always been black.

Now, as Destiny felt the last bits of her life drain away, she noticed something. She could see . . . shapes! Things were coming in _clearer, _not darker. An emotion that defeated the fear of death swept over her.

She could _see_!

Happiness filled her like nothing else. She forgot the coldness of the previously warm grass; she forgot the pain from the hole in her chest. Right in front of her was what she assumed was a little flower. She didn't know it, but the color that came to her mind was _red_. She was looking at a red flower, and the green grass.

Tears flowed down her face, and her last breath was taken with a smile, for her life's desire has been fulfilled.


	7. Catching Up With the Future

**TheDreamerLady:** Yeah, sorry about killing Destiny. (Shrinks under TheDreamerLady's evil glare) But she got a whole chapter to herself? Glad you like my interpretation of Scott . . . and yeah, the mystery man _is _a canon character, just altered a bit for the purpose for this story. Oh, and it's not Angel. He's in this chapter, and the evil mystery man is not him. Shh! Don't give it away though if you think you know!

Thanks to **Kernl Toad Sandrz **for the review! Enjoy the next chapter! Oh man this chapter's kind of long too . . . can you believe that I was actually worried that this chapter would be too _short_?

* * *

Back at the Brotherhood, John was extremely bored. There was work to be done, and he knew he and Blaze had to do something about it. 

Except he had no idea what they could do.

He shifted slightly in his seat, playing with his lighter again. This new Brotherhood seemed to want to do nothing but party. Word was that training would start soon, but it's been a week since John first heard that rumor.

Now he was beginning to think that he was going to die of not doing anything. He _hated _just sitting there while he knew something was going on. Always had.

So John was uncharacteristically excited when Magneto approached him and Blaze for a "special" mission.

"What is it?" John asked casually, masking his happiness about this break from the rowdy boarding house.

Magneto smiled wisely, a smirk tugging on his lips. "It's very important; I'm sure you'll like it."

John's jaw dropped slightly when Magneto told them; but it was not out of excitement and awe, but of disbelief that it could be something so utterly _boring._

"_Grocery shopping!" _Blaze shrieked when Magneto was out of earshot. "His idea of a special mission is _grocery shopping?_"

John grimaced. "This must be his way of punishing me for not making up my mind about which team I want to be on." He paused. "Actually, it makes sense, 'cause I'd punish myself if I were him too if I left the X-Men, joined him, left him, then joined again. I must _really_ cause him a headache." John smirked happily at the thought.

Blaze scowled. "And of course I get attached to the punishment because I happen to have come from Xavier's with you."

"There's nothing wrong with a good healthy trip to the supermarket," John replied cheerfully, thoroughly enjoying the irritated look on his friend's face.

He received no answer, only another death glare and some inaudible mumbling. John thought he distinctly heard her complaining, "I liked him better when he was evil."

John merely smirked. Without Bobby around, there just simply was not anybody to irritate and know that they're not going to try to kick his ass. "Try", of course, being the key word there, because despite most of the adut X-Men thinking he was competely void of talent and the ability to defend himself without using fire, John was very capable of beating someone to a pulp. Although he's kept himself restrained every since that last time . . . he shook his head, clearing his thoughts of the memory. There was shopping to do.

At the supermarket, Blaze was peering around the shelves. "What does one get for a bunch of rowdy, always partying teenagers?"

"Gatorade," John answered, swiping it off the shelf. "And beer," he added as an afterthought.

"Why?" she asked, skeptical.

John stared at her. "Haven't you heard? We're going to start training soon,"

"I thought Magneto was going to stop some of the, um, more radical stuff?"

"Doesn't mean we can't know self defense."

"But, I meant the beer . . . we're kind of underage to buy and/or drink, you know."

John shrugged and proceeded to grab a couple packages of Ramen from the shelves, successfully ignoring Blaze's suspicious gaze.

"Goody two shoes," he muttered under his breath. Judging from the scoff, she had heard.

"We're going to be a really unhealthy bunch, aren't we?" she commented dryly, choosing to ignore John's previous comment.

They proceeded to wheel the shopping cart around various aisles, collecting food and drinks, occasionally arguing on what to buy.

While Blaze went off to look at something else she had just spotted, John continued to lazily scan the shelves for something interesting.

As he turned the corner, he was stopped suddenly by a little girl standing in front of the cart.

The little brown haired girl stared at him pointedly. "What are you doing?" she asked, her eyes wide and curious.

"Uh . . . grocery shopping?" John replied uncertainly, caught slightly off guard at the familiarity of the kid.

"Why?"

John groaned inwardly. _This _is why he disliked little kids. Sure, they could be cute, he supposed, but they're all mini smart butts who ask a lot of questions.

"I need to eat to survive," he answered sarcastically, preparing to wheel the cart around her.

Except she stood on the edge of the cart and hung on, a huge smile enveloping on her face. "Can I come?"

John opened his mouth to tell the kid no, but was interrupted by another voice.

"Where are you?" An older boy, around ten or so, raced around the corner and spotted the little girl. "Why'd you run off?" He pried the little girl off of the cart, apologizing at the same time, "Sorry, did my little sister bug you?"

"Uh . . . no it's okay." John said awkwardly, running a hand through his hair uncomfortably.

The boy couldn't answer because he let out a huge yelp as his sister bit his arm.

"Ow! You bit me!"

The little girl gave what looked like an innocent smirk, "No! Your arm hit my teeth."

That smirk really bugged John. It was so familiar, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

A woman and a man suddenly showed up. "Ok, it's time to leave now."

The little boy covered up the bite mark with his sleeve and didn't say anything about it.

John had to use all of his self restraint to stop the hate from creeping onto his face. He recognized the man. He was, of course, younger than John had seen him, but there was no mistaking the face.

It was Dan Johnson, Blaze's dad and the future President of the United States.

He was also the man who had–would–condemn John, Rogue, Bobby, and his own daughter to the gallows to be hanged in the future.

That didn't exactly stir up warm and fuzzy feelings. John's fists clenched as he struggled to keep the damned anger in check, to stop himself from setting things on fire.

That's when herealized. The annoying little girl was _Blaze._

_No wonder. _John thought, smiling slightly. _So I guess she's always been a pain in the ass._

So he backed the cart up a little, watching the family. Dan picked up his daughter with a wide smile and swung her legs around his shoulders, linking his hands with hers, and exited the grocery store with a laugh.

John exhaled loudly and wheeled the cart around, only to jump involuntarily.

"Do you _always _sneak up on people?" John demanded, his heart thumping. It's not like he needed another surprise today. He was beginning to miss boredom.

Blaze shrugged, a small smile on her face. "I'm tricky like that."

"So . . . what's with the pushiness and the . . . biting?" he asked, unable to resist the smug smirk that was revealing itself on his face.

"I was a little spoiled brat," she admitted, "You know, being the youngest and all. That all changed, of course, when I found out that . . ." she stopped talking then, her eyes darting around suspiciously.

John voiced a different question. "So who's the guy that you bit?"

Smiling mischievously, Blaze answered, "My big brother Vincent. He still has a scar of that bite. He was the one who defied our parents and took care of me after I was disowned."

"But I never saw him in the future. Where was he?"

The smile faded from her face. "You wouldn't have. He's dead."

"Oh." John wasn't expecting that. "I-I'm sorry . . ."

"It's fine."

_Obviously not._ John thought, but he let it go. He knew from personal experience that sometimes things are best left answered. He would have left Xavier's place long ago if Bobby always bombarded him with questions about his life in Australia. Actually, John didn't think Bobby even knew he _was_ originally Australian until his accent accidentally arose again when he lost his temper once in the future.

John gestured to the cashier. "Let's go finish this 'special mission', huh?"

* * *

Remy LeBeau ran as quickly as his feet could carry him. Zipping around various counters and displays, he smoothly avoided the authorities. As he neared the exit, he could see some security blocking his path. 

He cursed his mistake. Of course, he never intended on being caught stealing some minor jewelry.

After all, was a couple thousand dollars worth all that much to a jewelry store?

Gambit took out his prized deck of cards and threw an ace of spades at the feet of the security guards. Jumping up in shock, some flying backwards from the force of the exploding energy, Remy was able to flee through the back door and into an alley.

His eyes darted around for an escape route. Nothing. It looks like he'll just have to meld into the crowd. Thrusting the loot into his long brown trench coat, he stuck his hands in his pockets and tried not to look suspicious, making his way into the middle of the crowd.

Too bad there wasn't that big of a crowd.

So it wasn't too long before Remy heard sirens behind him. He stayed calm and walked on at a normal pace until he felt a hand spin him around demanding, "Get on the ground!"

Before the police officer could blink, Remy whipped out a silver pole, extending it instantaneously and jabbing the officer with it, crushing the air out of his lungs. He angled the other end of the pole and smacked the man on the head, knocking him out. Them, hearing more police officers in pursuit of him, he ran, praying that he'd find some way to get him out of this mess.

Just a few city blocks ahead of where Gambit was running, a seemingly normal couple was making their way back to Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters from a shopping trip.

A slightly disgruntled Bobby was stuck helping carry some of Rogue's excessive purchases.

Of course, trying to be a good boyfriend, he didn't say anything.

But all thoughts on carrying the load of bags was diminished the instant he heard the sirens.

He looked behind him and saw a figure running towards him in the distance. Bobby had extremely good eyesight and, despite the distance, he could see the face of the fleeing man clearly. He inhaled sharply.

"What is it?" Rogue asked, turning to see what Bobby was looking at. Her eyesight wasn't as good, but eventually she could make out the figure. "My god. Is that . . .?"

"Gambit? I think so."

Rogue noticed the police officers. "Should we help him?"

Bobby stared at her incredulously. "Rogue, he probably did something _bad._ Why do you think the cops are after him?"

"Yeah, but aren't we supposed to help him out of some tight spots? That's how we got him as a mole in the Brotherhood in the future, remember?" Rogue persisted. She clearly remembered how he had risked his cover to help them get the time machine from the future Pyro, in the end getting shot in the neck with three darts. They never did discover what had happened to him, whether or not he was merely tranquilized or dead.

Rogue figured that, for his sacrifice, they owed him.

Bobby rubbed his temples. "Damn. I hate time travel."

Gambit knew he couldn't keep on running. Sure, he could outrun the cops, but he couldn't outrun a car. Constantly on the lookout for some sort of escape, the opportune location at the opportune moment, he found that he didn't need too.

He heard a loud crashing sound behind him, and would have ignored it if he hadn't felt himself being pulled into an alley.

Remy was roughly thrust against the wall by a young woman, who covered his mouth with her gloved hands, shushing him. She waited and listened for something. Not really having anywhere else to go, he stayed put.

"I am _so_ sorry officer!" Bobby apologized regretfully, helping the officer up from the ground. "I'm late for something, I-I didn't see you . . ."

The officer would have given a reprimand, but he resumed his chasing, angrily muttering curses under his breath and speaking into his communication device, informing the rest of the team that the thief was out of their sights.

As Rogue heard the officer pass their way, she instantly planted her lips onto Remy's, pulling away as soon as she knew the cop was gone.

However, Remy, extremely liking this, continued the kiss, and was suddenly pulled apart by a furious Bobby.

"Are you _trying _to kill yourself?" he demanded angrily, his fists shaking in anger. He cast a slightly betrayed look at Rogue, who shrugged helplessly, as if saying, _He grabbed me!_

"That was not my intention," Remy replied coolly, "Thanks though, for saving Remy back there. Remy appreciates it."

Bobby groaned inwardly. He had forgotten that Remy often referred to himself in the third person.

To Bobby's further disgust, he grabbed Rogue's arm and kissed her hand gratefully. "Why _did _you help Remy?"

"Because we thought you could help us," Rogue replied seriously, but couldn't resist blushing slightly from Remy's traditional gentleman-like kiss.

Remy's ruby red eyes narrowed in suspicion. "And you figured this out in the instant that you saw me?"

Rogue and Bobby exchanged uncertain glances, each pondering what to tell him.

"Have you heard of Charles Xavier?" Rogue finally said, sighing heavily.

Remy's eyes lit up with recognition. "Yes, he is a strong mutant supporter." Realization dawned on his face. "You're both . . ."

"Yeah. And we know you are too." Bobby added abruptly, a brilliant cover idea revealing itself. "We'd like to recruit you into the X-Men."

* * *

Jean Grey's mind felt groggy and feverish. The blood pounded in her head, the rush of new memories and information trying to sort itself. 

She was vaguely aware of huge pain in her abdomen.

Something was prodding her to wake; someone was calling her name, desperately needing her, desperately wanting her.

_Scott. Scott, can you hear me?_

The only way she could know is if she was awake. The pain wouldn't go away, she was weak; this she knew. But Scott needed her. _She _needed him. There was always time for rest later, after.

Struggling with the forces of gravity, Jean slowly pulled herself up, immediate panic and unease settling over her. She was not in the mansion. So where the hell was she?

The memories flooded back. The Phoenix. She had been stabbed in the shores of Alkali Lake . . . left for dead.

So what was she doing here in a soft, unfamiliar bed? Jean struggled to get out, but her strength failed her and she sank back into the soft pillow, only to sit up again as she tried to realize where she was.

Normally, she'd probe around in someone's mind, but there was no one to probe. It was a small, humble place. From the looks of the walls, it was a log cabin, but Jean knew looks could be deceiving.

Thoroughly engrossed in her thoughts, Jean jerked involuntarily when the door opened. If the person was really that close, Jean should have been able to sense him. But she didn't.

_Am I really that weak? _Jean was depressed by this revelation. After feeling so much immense power . . . that feeling of invincibility . . . it felt more of a loss than she would have imagined.

Warily examining the figure approaching the room, Jean couldn't really determine anything by the physical features, as his face was covered with a big hat. The rest of him was completely covered by a fashionable but abnormally large trench coat.

"You should rest; you have not reached your full strength yet." The man, for it was a male monotone, said quietly.

Jean stared at him defiantly. "Who are you? Where am I?"

"You're in my house, near Alkali Lake, where I found you. I was going to alert someone and bring you to a hospital, but you were muttering . . . disturbing things . . . information that I didn't believe that you'd disclose to a normal human being."

Jean's face and attention snapped immediately. "What do you mean _normal?_" she asked suspiciously.

"A non-mutant, of course. You are a mutant, aren't you? One of the X-Men?"

This certainly wasn't what she had been expecting. Jean was taken aback at the knowledge that the man had her. Did she say too much in her feverish state? Or did he know this information already?

She tried to probe his mind but found he had developed some sort of mind block to her. Jean couldn't get anything from him.

"You know so much about me, but I don't know anything about you." Jean stated, waiting patiently.

"I apologize," he said politely, "I'm just . . . ashamed, I guess."

Jean nodded. "Of your physical appearance? It doesn't matter. I happen to know a mutant who's blue, furry, and has a tail. After all, you saved me from death, and that proves you have a good heart." She meant some of it, of course, but she also hoped the encouragement would goad her mysterious savior to start explaining.

The man took off his trench coat and hat. Jean stifled a gasp, instead making a strange guttural sound.

He had no expression. There was a certain cold rigidity to him that disturbed Jean. It was almost as if he was a machine.

But what really caught her eye were the huge wings behind him.

"My name is Warren Worthington. Some call me Angel. I know about you because _he_," there was a flash of disgust on his face, "often talked about you–the X-Men. I assumed you were one of them because of the uniform."

"Did you–did you always have those?" Jean asked.

Warren absently shook the wings. "Originally, they were true wings. White feathers, soft and pure. Now, after William Stryker . . . found me . . . he changed them. He made them metal."

It was true; the wings didn't look soft or anything suitable for a man called "Angel". They were metallic with various lines, like veins, running through them. Sharp and cold, they looked sinister.

A strong wave of emotion hit Jean. This man had been wronged, been another of Stryker's experiments, just like Logan.

"I'm sorry," Jean said. What else was there to say?

He nodded. "I escaped. When I heard about Alkali Lake, I thought there may have been some mutant survivors, that perhaps I could help them. I found you on the shore, bleeding severely, brought you here, and patched you up."

"Thank you," Jean said softly, touched that he had come back to the place he feared and hated the most to try and help others.

Suddenly, Jean winced in pain. Her head felt like it had been split open as another memory flashed before her eyes.

It was enough to understand what was going on.

"Warren, can you help me?" Jean proceeded to explain the situation, about the Phoenix, and the unknown man from the future, and the Phoenix's original mission before being corrupted by the man.

Listening to all this closely, Warren was slightly skeptical. But the woman had been stabbed. She was one of the X-Men, and Warren could see the truth and conviction in her eyes. He believed her.

"Okay. What do you want me to do?"

* * *

"Why the _hell_ did you tell him that?" Rogue hissed once they were in the safety of the mansion. 

"Wasn't it _your _idea to kiss and rescue?" Bobby retorted dryly, throwing Rogue a sly glance.

Rogue sighed in exasperation. "Yeah. But we . . ."

"_We_ nothing. _You _had no plan for after. _I _saved your ass."

Rogue playfully smacked his shoulder. "Don't go blaming me! Besides, how do you know we weren't supposed to recruit him?"

Shaking his head ruefully, he commented, "Damn. This time traveling business is a major headache. What are we supposed to do, when we're supposed to do it, what _not _to do . . . I swear this is going to drive us crazy sooner or later."

"So you've said. Let's have it be later."

Bobby nodded in agreement.

Gambit had met with Professor Xavier, who had wisely probed the couple's mind for answers, greeted him courteously, and made him an offer.

So then it was decided. Remy would be an X-Man. Nevertheless, he had given Bobby and Rogue a slightly begrudging look on his way out, but thanked them for helping him. His exact parting words were, "Remy wouldn't do this, but some things are more important than Remy's needs."

Bobby knew he was hiding something. Obviously Remy had a reason for taking a job like this so quickly and trustingly.

He still didn't understand _why_ Xavier had sent him on a mission already. Especially in _this_ particular place. Did the Professor know something that they didn't?

Gambit has been sent to spy on the Brotherhood.

* * *

A very skimpily dressed young woman stood on the steps of the Brotherhood, her luggage hanging loosely by her side. 

Darla, or Black Siren, smirked, thoroughly anticipating this change in scenery. It pleased her to no ends that this mission, one of the better placed and easier missions her master has sent her on yet, was also a chance for her to have a little fun.

She had no doubts whatsoever that she would get exactly what she came for.

Pyro.


End file.
